February 28th 2024.
The video game industry has been facing some difficult times lately, with thousands of developers losing their jobs and publishers remaining silent on the matter. One of the main issues is the rising cost of making video games, as discussed by Tekken 8 producer Katsuhiro Harada. He reveals that the budgets for games now are 10 times more expensive than they were in the 90s, despite only a slight increase in graphical quality.
It's frustrating that publishers never disclose the budgets for their games, making it difficult to fully understand the impact of these rising costs. The only information we have is often leaked or accidentally revealed, such as when Sony used marker pens to hide the budget for one of their games. Harada himself hasn't mentioned any specific figures for Tekken 8, but he does give a rough estimate of how much costs have increased in just one generation.
In addition to the graphics, there are now many more specifications and online features that add to the cost of making a game. Even maintaining online servers, like the Fight Lounge in Tekken 8, is a costly endeavor. Harada acknowledges that in the past, games didn't have as many features and online capabilities, and they weren't expected to be supported for as long as they are now.
His comments were in response to a fan's complaint about microtransactions in Tekken 8, which have become a common way for publishers to offset the rising costs of game development. Harada suggests that the fan may only have fond memories of the games from his childhood and doesn't fully understand the changing landscape of the industry. If publishers were to simply do nothing, as the fan suggests, the game would likely not be sustainable for very long.
While publishers should have planned better for these increasing costs, Harada's comments shed light on the frustration that ordinary developers must be feeling. Fortunately for Harada, Tekken 8 has been a success, selling over 2 million copies since its launch in January. This puts it ahead of other popular fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 7. However, without knowing the actual budget, it's impossible to fully gauge the profitability of the game.
As we look to the future, there is uncertainty about whether there will even be a Tekken 9. The rising costs may become too much for publishers to justify, especially if they continue to remain tight-lipped about their budgets. It's a challenging time for the industry, and it's important for fans to support their favorite games and developers. Sign up for our exclusive gaming content and stay up to date on the latest releases. Thank you for reading, and don't forget to email us, leave a comment, and follow us on Twitter for more updates.
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