Yamauchi: GT5 cost $60m to make

By Robert Purchese Published 6 November, 2009

GTAIV, Too Human, Shenmue still pricier.

Polyphony Digital chief Kazunori Yamauchi has revealed that Gran Turismo 5 cost a meaty $60 million to make.

"There are other games that cost more," Yamauchi told AutoWeek. "Considering the size and scale of the game, I think it's probably a fairly small amount."

Presumably a large portion of those funds were spent on developing the PlayStation 3 engine - a cost that could be considerably trimmed for a next instalment on the same hardware.

Gran Turismo 5 sits among pricey company. Too Human and Grand Theft Auto IV are reported to have cost around $100m to make, while Shenmue had a budget of $70m.

Infinity Ward spokesperson Robert Bowling said recently that Activision had thrown a "ridiculous budget" at Modern Warfare 2, although no specific numbers were revealed.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (31) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • alimokrane #1 2 years ago

    The piece of junk that is Too Human cost $100m ???? Good Lord!!!!
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/09 @ 09:15

  • Spekingur #2 2 years ago

    The power of the dollar compels you?

    edit: It doesn't take into account that the value of the dollar is diffirent depending on the country you are in (and thus where the game is being developed).
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/09 @ 09:17

  • RumpyStumpy #3 2 years ago

    Wow big AAA flagship title in development for years costs lots, but not as much as others shock.....

  • M4RV #4 2 years ago

    "Too Human" actually cost that much...?! Cry me a river... please. :\

  • Negotiator #5 2 years ago

    What's the bet Forza 3 didn't cost a fraction of that.

  • GamesConnoisseur #6 2 years ago

    $60m over 5 years was it? $12m per year and if that the costs so far... Release date expected next autumn? One more year bill to add on?

    Sure not the most expensive game.... but who wanna bet that it gonna be the most expensive car racing game evar?!

  • rotmm #7 2 years ago

    @alimokrane, "The piece of junk that is Too Human cost $100m ????"

    Well, to be fair it was in development for 8 or 9 years and 3 different platforms.

    That's gotta all add up ;)

    Edit: Also, I believe the $100m figure came directly from Dennis Dyack, who is not exactly the most trustworthy figure. He could have said it cost £7.40 and a Yorkie and it would be just as believable.

    Well, as long as it's a Raisin and Biscuit Yorkie, anyway.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/09 @ 09:35

  • Darren #8 2 years ago

    Too Human... was that an Xbox 360 only game? Can't say I recall it to be honest so I'm guessing it was a huge, huge flop of Heaven Gate's (disasterous 1980 western) proportions?

  • GamerG #9 2 years ago

    I cant believe Too Human cost $100m where did that figure come from?

  • ThisWillDestroyYou #10 2 years ago

    too human was awful, what a waste

  • Darren #11 2 years ago

    @Anthony_Daniels - That's a bit harsh. Admittedly Forza 3 doesn't look especially photo-realistic - which is why Digital Foundry's claim that it's the best-looking 360 racer surprised me, surely GRID or PGR 4 fit that bill better? - but nevertheless it's far from being 'cartoony' IMO.

  • The-Bodybuilder #12 2 years ago

    YAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!
    Sorry, I get excited whenever shenmue is mentioned.

  • Jay-ITFC #13 2 years ago

    @Anthony_Daniels

    Stop talking out your arse mate. People with MUCH more knowledge than you about such things think a little more open-mindedly...

    http://ww w.metacritic.com/games/platform...

  • Crea #14 2 years ago

    I don't understand how relatively modest developers like Silicon Knights can drop $100m on the development of a game that will have been lucky to make a tenth of that back.

    My admiration for Denis Dyack as a businessman has increased 100-fold.

  • aidey6 #15 2 years ago

    Well they could afford it, after all this would have been partially funded from the profits from GT5 Prologue, besides this game like Halo will be bought regardless of what the reviews say... Now they've seen what Turn 10 have done they will have to out sim it, lets hope they make the AI at the least comparable to Forza

  • anomagnus #16 2 years ago

    i loved too human, and anyone calling it junk only shows they couldn't play it, but 100 million.... that seems wrong somehow.

    For 100 million i would have expected a lot more

  • coojam #17 2 years ago

    They'd better include a game with their cars and tracks this time then, else they'll never make that money back

  • RedSparrows #18 2 years ago

    Too Human was good, despite its flaws. $100 mill is insanity. Poor/silly SK. Torrid development + bad choices.

  • NotSoSlim #19 2 years ago

    $60 shows that PD have developed engine from scratch which will helped reduce dev time on future versions and reproduce high profit just like Guerilla with Killzone engine and ND with UC engine!!

    If Sony reuse the cell next time round then this will also help these devs with minimising dev costs imo

    As for Unreal engine it was a great engine but can look very dated in the hands if the wring developers

    I think PD will make there money back if 4m sales of GT5p are anything to go by as install base is bigger and is growing

  • NotSoSlim #20 2 years ago

    They won't get $60 back per game but they don't need to as it will sell 5m copies plus

    PD are quids in and they know it

  • Diomedes #21 2 years ago

    Nice ,I am anxiously waiting to fork out some 60-70 euros to play this 60 million dollar game!

    PD arent exactly newcomers ,now that they have seen whats Forza 3 about they are maniacally reworking the phisics and collision models of Gt5 to assure its a step up FM3 in all the measurable categories.

    This will be the best racer ever in my opinion ....until GT6 arrives that is.

  • NotSoSlim #22 2 years ago

    Why does it have to take a month??

    Anyway with FF releasing in Japan there potentially could be 4-5milloon PS3's in Japan alone so they are bound to get 1m there alone imo maybe not first month but pretty soon after launch

  • DrDamn #23 2 years ago

    I can't see it not making a profit though I question the assertion that "Presumably a large portion of those funds were spent on developing the PlayStation 3 engine" from the main article. I would expect much more to have gone towards artwork, modelling etc. The core reusable engine wouldn't have been a "large portion" of the $60m.

  • chessboxer #24 2 years ago

    Welcome back Donnie.

  • NotSoSlim #25 2 years ago

    Grasshopper is right if a shop orders too many then it's there fault!! Problem shops have is online the game could be up to £10 cheaper

    LBP is a tad different as I am sure Sony and MM made most of there money through DLC plus you have the upcoming PSP version

  • nightstorm101 #26 2 years ago

    Shenmue was worth every dollar!
    Now if only they could save up enough to finish the story!

  • jambo74 #27 2 years ago

    Great, where is it then?

  • solidSnake04 #28 2 years ago

    killzone 2 anyone ?

  • noobjob #29 2 years ago

    lol @ rotmm XD

  • Bander #30 2 years ago

    Darren: "Admittedly Forza 3 doesn't look especially photo-realistic - which is why Digital Foundry's claim that it's the best-looking 360 racer surprised me, surely GRID or PGR 4 fit that bill better?"
    Photo-realism isn't suitable for racing games, or any fast games for that matter. They need fast frame rates and high resolutions, not 'cinematic' effects like motion blur, bloom, vignettes and depth of field that get in the way of being able to see the track, signs and opponents clearly. Plus blurring can cause eye-strain in games that require players to concentrate on the screen for several minutes without a break. Forza 3's visuals, and those of some other racing games that don't quite look 'next-gen' like Ridge Racer 6 and 7 but run at 60fps, are actually ideal.

  • man.the.king #31 2 years ago

    I think Donnie's back :) . I guess you can keep a dedicated idiot down for a while, but not out. Anyway, hopefully in the future we will see more of his gems - I was especially tickled pink the time he compared himself to Jesus and Nelson Mandela.

    ON-TOPIC: I certainly hope we get to see where all that money went when we get to play GT5, whenever that happens.
    Edited by 1 at 07/11/09 @ 07:37