Most expensive shooters ever made
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare tops this ranking with over $640 million, ahead of Battlefield 6 (over $400 million) and Duke Nukem Forever (over $20 million). Development budgets from court filings, publisher reports and serious press. 6 games ranked.
⚔ Higher or lower?
Which one cost more to make?
| # | Game | Number | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Call of Duty: Modern WarfareDevelopment costs over the full life cycle | over $640 million | December 2024 | Game File |
| 2 | Battlefield 6Reported development budget (internal sources) | over $400 million | July 2025 | Kotaku |
| 3 | Duke Nukem ForeverFounders' own money spent by 3D Realms (excluding Gearbox) | over $20 million | December 2009 | Wired |
| 4 | Call of Duty 2Development budget disclosed by Infinity Ward | $14.5 million | November 2005 | Gamasutra |
| 5 | Gears of WarDevelopment cost to Epic (development only) | $12 million | May 2016 | Windows Central |
| 6 | Unreal TournamentProject budget (development) | $2 million | June 2000 | Gamasutra (Game Developer Magazine) |
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