Cyberpunk 2077 Budget: How much did it cost to make the game?

Cyberpunk 2077 is an upcoming role-playing playing game developed by CD Projekt Red. The game is based on Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk board game. The world of Cyberpunk is set in a dystopian future where cybernetic implants are common things to do. People rely on machines more than themselves.

The game's environment and design are off the charts. The Neon lit streets of Night City or the Barron wastelands, everything is highly detailed. Cyberpunk 2077 is without a doubt one the best looking sci-fi role-playing games. Cyberpunk 2077 takes RTX to the next level, the lighting in the game is greatly improved with the latest RT core technology.

The marketing and production cost of Cyberpunk 2077 is something that many people are interested to know. We at Sportskeeda tried to dig in the matter and predict the budget of the game.

The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt

Before going to Cyberpunk 2077's budget let's look at the past. How much did it cost to make The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt?. CD Projekt Red developed The Witcher 3 with a self-funded budget of 81 Million USD 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.( Source- Wikipedia)

Now coming to Cyberpunk 2077 the total number of developers working on the game is double the numbers that of Witcher 3.

Cyberpunk 2077 is being developed using the REDengine 4 by a team of around 500, exceeding the number that worked on the studio's previous title, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. (Source- Wikipedia)

Seeing the numbers of developers working on Cyberpunk 2077, we can at least say the game costs double the amount than Witcher 3. Adding the facts that Cyberpunk 2077 includes the use of latest RTX technology and features Hollywood star, Keanu Reaves the production cost will rise more.

Cyberpunk 2077 Production budget in detail

Cyberpunk 2077

The development cost of Witcher 3 was around 25 Million USD while the rest amount of the budget were indirect expenses such as marketing and others. [Personal Opinion] Based on the figures from The Witcher 3, we think Cyberpunk 2077's development cost will be around 75 to 120 Million USD. The marketing costs and other Indirect expenses will be around another 100 Million. The total budget of Cyberpunk 2077 might be between 175 Million USD to 220 Million USD.

The total estimated budget of Cyberpunk 2077 could be in between our suggested numbers. Cyberpunk 2077 is a AAA title so you should expect a really high budget involved in the overall production of the game.

Similar AAA Titles with total budget and Sales

Grand Theft Auto 5

Grand Theft Auto 5 from Rockstar Games has amassed over 6 billion USD since its launch in 2013 across all major platforms. Grand Theft Auto 5's budget was 265 Million USD which is very less compared to the amount they earned from sales.

Some Other Aspect Which Increase Cyberpunk 2077 Overall Budget

Cyberpunk Edgerunners Anime

In the recent Night City Wire event of Cyberpunk 2077, we learned about a new Anime that will be based in the Universe of Cyberpunk 2077. It is going to come out in 2022. The Anime is titled "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners", and will launch on Netflix. Studio Trigger who worked on several animes like-

• The Little Witch Academia
• Kill La Kill
• Darling in FranXX and many more are working on Cyberpunk Edgerunners.

What happens when you put together CD PROJEKT RED, Studio Trigger, and Netflix?CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS – an original anime series from the universe of #Cyberpunk2077, coming in 2022!Details: https://t.co/HFyUNRWjbp pic.twitter.com/WjzXwtovOV

— Cyberpunk 2077 (@CyberpunkGame) June 25, 2020

[DISCLAIMER] We don't know if CD Project Red has any budget-related involvement with the upcoming anime. Maybe they are just a party approached by Netflix and Studio Trigger for an anime(highly unlikely). Maybe they presented the Idea of Cyberpunk: Edgerunner to Netflix and Studio Trigger.

The Official Cyberpunk website states the Story of Edgerunners as-

CYBERPUNK: EDGERUNNERS tells a standalone, 10-episode story about a street kid trying to survive in a technology and body modification-obsessed city of the future. Having everything to lose, he chooses to stay alive by becoming an edgerunner—a mercenary outlaw also known as a cyberpunk.