Poll of the Day > How does a game that's been in development for 8+ years make money?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in May 2012 apparently? And it's coming out this year (hopefully). Aren't a lot of people working on it? Doesn't development cost a lot each year? How many copies would it have to sell to profit?

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Well, The Witcher 3 came out in 2015, so that was a big cash influx.

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Microtransactions.

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cdpr is based in poland, it's much much cheaper to make games there

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Through sales? Kinda seems like a silly question.

SpeedDemon20 posted...

Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in May 2012 apparently? And it's coming out this year (hopefully). Aren't a lot of people working on it? Doesn't development cost a lot each year? How many copies would it have to sell to profit?

Kinda depends on how consistent the development is. The cycle could have started with a very small staff then had pauses in development because of funding issues. Just because it started a long time ago doesn't mean it's been consistently done all this time and at full staff.

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OG Blizzard made money and was pretty slow to release things. Nintendo does this too. Albeit not to the same extent CDPR does, but they're also much smaller than those companies. And as was already said, they're in Poland where everything is cheaper.

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Veedrock- posted...

Microtransactions.

This. There was a shitload of micro transactions in the Witcher 3

shadowsword87 posted...

Well, The Witcher 3 came out in 2015, so that was a big cash influx.

"The company developed The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt with a self-funded budget of US$81 million over three-and-a-half years. The project began with 150 employees, eventually growing to over 250 in-house staff. 1,500 people were involved in the production globally."
INTERESTING.

Veedrock- posted...

Microtransactions.

For real though, that seems to be where all the money is. It's like $70 to buy a picture of your waifu. Then you gotta buy the Halloween version of her a month later. A few more dollars for some accessories.

TheWitchMorgana posted...

cdpr is based in poland, it's much much cheaper to make games there

I see. I imagine pay is more than minimum wage (is that a thing there?). Cost of living must be cheaper too. I wonder if the people are happy.

Zeus posted...

Through sales? Kinda seems like a silly question.

Kinda depends on how consistent the development is. The cycle could have started with a very small staff then had pauses in development because of funding issues. Just because it started a long time ago doesn't mean it's been consistently done all this time and at full staff.

I can feel an idea coming to me... unpaid internships... during the summer... yes... this will do. monkaHMM Also, microtransactions.

Raddest_Chad posted...

OG Blizzard made money and was pretty slow to release things. Nintendo does this too. Albeit not to the same extent CDPR does, but they're also much smaller than those companies. And as was already said, they're in Poland where everything is cheaper.

Nintendo also gets by by rereleasing old games (RIP, Blizzard). Seems like a easy money once you're well-established (RIP in peace, Blizzard). Really good money off of old investments.

Cacciato posted...

This. There was a shitload of micro transactions in the Witcher 3

I have to play that game. It's on my list. Somewhere.

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Cacciato posted...

This. There was a shitload of micro transactions in the Witcher 3

...no there wasn't.

there was two things you could buy in the witcher 3, and they were both major expansions.

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Now I don't know what to believe. Is this real? Am I real?

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likehelly posted...

...no there wasn't.

there was two things you could buy in the witcher 3, and they were both major expansions.

I know there werent.

thats why Im wondering where he got that idea from since I havent seen CDPR hint anything about them for this game and it seems like an out of character idea for them to do so.

they make money off of the 3 hit titles that they've already released, the first 2 of which sold over 8 million copies and rated well into the 80s on metacritic

just ask @likehelly

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Don't they also run gog which probably gives them a nice revenue stream.

Cacciato posted...

thats why Im wondering where he got [microtransactions] from since I havent seen CDPR hint anything about them for this game and it seems like an out of character idea for them to do so.

www.cbr.com/cyberpunk-2077-microtransactions-why-fans-shouldnt-worry/

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Veedrock- posted...

www.cbr.com/cyberpunk-2077-microtransactions-why-fans-shouldnt-worry/

Oh shit. Im actually okay with it like this if they keep it honest. As in its just multiplayer and if its only cosmetic

SpeedDemon20 posted...

Cyberpunk 2077 was announced in May 2012 apparently? And it's coming out this year (hopefully). Aren't a lot of people working on it? Doesn't development cost a lot each year? How many copies would it have to sell to profit?

I would be more worried that a game that takes that long is already outdated upon arrival.

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Square Enix manages to pull it off.

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Witcher 3 sales: 28,000,000 units
Average price lets's pretend $20, but probs greater.
Income at $20/sale: $560,000,000
Cost of development: $81,000,000

idk of cost of development includes advertising or not but you can see how they profited

Cacciato posted...

This. There was a shitload of micro transactions in the Witcher 3

lmao

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the witcher series (in particular witcher 3) made them enough money, and continues to make them money to take their time with whatever they want to work on next. cyberpunk's hype will ensure they probably stay that way. they're one of the few studios who can afford 8-year dev cycles, ok?

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