Halo Infinite’s development budget reportedly exceeded $500 million, with journalist Jason Schreier saying the game cost more to make than Gears of War: E-Day. Schreier did not provide an exact amount, explaining that he wanted to avoid the figure being taken out of context or becoming fuel for console-war debates and social media arguments.
The reported costs cover more than the game’s direct production. Budgets at major companies can include staff, operating expenses, infrastructure and work with external studios. Microsoft’s accounting is further complicated by its previous practice of approving project funding annually rather than setting a total budget at the start of development.
Xbox Game Pass also affects how Microsoft assesses a game’s commercial performance. The company uses an internal system called “member weighted value,” which assigns games an economic value based on the hours subscribers spend playing them. Under this approach, a game may be considered profitable in internal reports even if direct sales do not cover its initial investment.
Sources: Eurogamer Portugal.