Activision poured nearly $1.8 billion into two Call of Duty: Black Ops games and Modern Warfare development
Activision invested $1.8 billion in three Call of Duty games, with Black Ops Cold War costing $700 million.

In a demonstration of how expansive the gaming industry has become, Activision allocated nearly $1.8 billion for the development of three Call of Duty titles. Among these were Black Ops 3, Modern Warfare (2019), and Black Ops Cold War, with the latter now being the second most expensive game ever developed.
The figures were part of a court filing seen by Game File. Black Ops 3, starting in 2015, accumulated $450 million in development costs and sold 43 million copies, while Modern Warfare, launched in 2019 by Infinity Ward, topped $640 million in development and moved 41 million units.
2020's Black Ops Cold War, despite being the priciest at over $700 million, registered as the poorest seller with 30 million copies. This hefty expenditure doesn't even account for marketing costs, highlighting the significant financial outlays in gaming compared to film production.