I think it has to do with alot of things that are just driving the cost of making games up. It takes time, a massive workforce and alot of money to get AAA-level graphics. It takes a lot of money to market the game well. It takes a lot of voice-actors to voice big games. It isn't one thing, but I do think that the next gen graphics have a lot to do with increased costs.
Originally posted by Nephthys
Its so dumb that they think we need perfect graphics in order for a game to be immersive when you can get the same results from just being a damn good game with good writing. 'Quick, we have to render every blade of grass! Thats the only way to make a good game!'I'll just wait until Persona 5 comes out looking like ass and steals Game of the Year 5 years running until it loses out to Deadly Premonition 2.
"The record number of pre-orders from Modern Warfare 3 drove the largest day-one shipments in our history, and in the industry's history," said Activision Publishing CEO Eric Hirshberg during an earnings call on November 8, 2011. Hirshberg said more than 1.5 million people queued at 13,000 shops at midnight on Monday to buy Modern Warfare 3, "making it the largest retail release in Activision's history and in the industry's history".[71]Activision reported sales figures for Modern Warfare 3 in the U.S. and UK being more than 6.5 million copies sold on launch day and grossed $400 million in the US and UK alone in its first 24 hours, making it the biggest entertainment launch of all time.[72] It is the third year in a row that the Call Of Duty series has broken the same record. 2010's Black Ops grossed $360 million on day one; in 2009, Modern Warfare 2 brought in $310 million.[73] Activision Blizzard president and CEO Robert Kotick stated that "the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we [Activision] achieved this record with sales from only two territories."[11]
The title grossed more than $775 million globally in its first five days of availability, exceeding the $650 million record set by 2010's Call of Duty: Black Ops and the $550 million one achieved by 2009's Modern Warfare 2.[74] To be exact, it has beaten theatrical box office, book, and video game sales records for five-day worldwide sell-through in dollars.[75]
Modern Warfare 3 went on to gross $1 billion throughout the world in 16 days of availability, beating Avatar's record of 17 days, according to Activision.[76]
According to NPD Group, Modern Warfare 3 was November's biggest selling game of the month in the U.S. Modern Warfare 3 sales surpassed first-month sales of 2010′s Black Ops by 7 percent, and sales for November sit at around the 9 million unit mark.[77][78]
Modern Warfare 3 topped the UK video game sales chart in its first week, becoming the biggest video game launch in history by revenue.[79] By November 21, 2011, the game remained the bestselling title in the United Kingdom, despite sales dropping by 87%.[80] Modern Warfare 3 held the top spot on the UK charts for a third week and fourth week running.[81][82] It was replaced by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in its fifth week on the market.[83]
Modern Warfare 3's storyline was about four hours long and had Michael Bay writing.
There's your answer.