This Highly Anticipated AAA Title Will Cost Nearly $1 Billion

One of the most highly anticipated AAA games in development will cost nearly $1 billion to bring to market. That’s a significant chunk of change, and it’s far more than you find publishers and developers spending on a run-of-the-mill AAA title. Most cost around $100 million, though others creep up closer to $200, and as much as $500 million by the end of the day. Destiny cost Bungie around $500 million to produce, which was a lot in 2014, and while costs have risen in the years since, getting anywhere near a billion dollars is still incredibly high.

According to calculations by Mateusz Chrzanowski, an analyst at Noble Securities, CD Projekt Red will have to shell out nearly $900 million to complete The Witcher 4. According to the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the Polish złoty, the total estimated cost as of writing is $896,661,196.80. Previous estimates of the game’s budget put the total costs at $588 million, so there’s been a significant increase as the game moves closer to the finish line. The new figures account for both development and marketing, which is split 50/50.

The Witcher 4’s Costs Are Staggering

Chrzanowski’s report from December 16, 2026, outlines several plans and assumptions regarding the development of The Witcher 4 and other projects. If you’ve been following the game’s progress, you likely know it was initially thought to be ready for launch in 2026, but it has been delayed. The report indicates that The Witcher 4 won’t reach consumers until the 4th quarter of 2027, so it will be a while. Before that happens, a paid DLC for The Witcher 3 will be released, which will initiate the full marketing campaign for that title’s successor. The DLC, which cost $14.5 million to develop, is expected to bring in around $330 million.

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If you’re thinking that $900 million sounds reasonable considering how much time and effort went into making The Witcher 3, you’re not entirely wrong. While that game did cost a pretty penny and outperformed expectations, it only cost a comparatively small $81 million. The Witcher 3 was released in 2015, so adjusting for inflation, its development costs in 2026 dollars are $110 million. Still, that’s a lot of money, but compared to almost $900 million, it’s but a fraction. Of course, it’s difficult to say why the development and marketing costs of The Witcher 4 are so much higher, but it suggests CD Projekt Red is putting as much into it as possible.

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The Witcher 4 Release Date Is Even Further Away Than Fans Realize

While the amount of money being spent on the next chapter in The Witcher franchise is immense, it’s not entirely surprising. The Witcher 3 sold more than 60 million copies since its release, and there’s a good chance that the next one will do as well or better. There are more than enough fans waiting for The Witcher 4’s arrival, so it makes sense that CD Projekt Red is shelling out so much cash to make it as perfect as possible. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait quite some time to get our hands on it, as the game isn’t expected to arrive for nearly two years as of writing.

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