Lost Planet Pricetag? $40 Million

According to today's Forbes profile on the company that published Keiji Inafune's epic shooter, Capcom is in deep about forty million bucks getting Lost Planet out the door, on store shelves, and into the minds of gamers.

Forbes details Capcom's executive VP of publishing in North America and Europe Mark Beaumont and his efforts to shake up the company's marketing. In the case of Lost Planet, advertising and awareness came to a cool $20 million. Combined with a $20 million development budget and you'll see where that $60 you plop down goes.

So where did that twenty mill go? Theater advertising, the two Xbox Live demos, TV spots, community funding-it all costs money. Apparently, a lot of money.

[DJ]

The CG trailer was so damn good. Almost thought it was a preview for a movie until I saw the title. It's crazy that the advertising cost as much as the game itself.

[hardwood2001]

Hey "DJ" check your PM In/Outbox because I sent you mail yesterday.
By the way is there anyway of being notify of PM'S?

Also if a $40 million dollar budget for a specific game and system does not show you confidents in the Xbox 360, than nothing will...

[gogators]

but I thought some of the really hectic scenes where miss-leading. I have a good 200 plus online matches in and some boards are very intense, but not like the commericals.

I just can't believe how much money this game has cost with marketing. I hope it does well, cause I wouldn't mind some more content and a Lost Planet 2 someday. It's got a learnign curve, but once you've got it down it's much better than what some reviews give it.

[zonetrooper5]

I wonder how much Gears of War and Halo costed to advertise?

[Shadow Flare]

I wonder how much microsoft spends on advertising the 360

[shotty]

I'm sure they made some of that back from the exclusive deal with microsoft. They sold over a million copies on launch of this game so they are bound to sell atleast 2 million copies worldwide. Lets say they make $40 per game sold x 2 million copies and thats a cool $80 million dollars, plus the money made from DLC and also from microsoft's exclusive deal.

[power of Green]

LP Only 16 has players at a time lol, good player know better by now then to stand out in the middle of a feild fraging each other although i played matches with many meches and players all duking it out at once in the middle of the Map Minus the AKRID.

[PS360PCROCKS]

while alot of money...they have already made 60 million just off sales of the game, so their up 20 before any Microsoft deals etc...

[gogators]

they could have even more sales if Capcom would patch this game now instead of in over a month from now. The multiplayer exploits are getting frustrating, though most matches are still good.

[fjtorres]

...not even close.
Try $15 per copy.

They need about 3 million to turn a profit.
And with Japan making up only 20% of the world gaming market (and shrinking) the handwriting is on the wall for japanese gaming companies; either adapt or die.

Capcom chose to adapt:
http://members.forbes.com/g...

[Funky Town_TX]

$40 mill for what. It's pretty but the controls are bad.

[gogators]

the controls on this game are not. It has a small learning curve. Once you understand the controls this game plays very well. I have at least managed to get into the top 1000 for post-grab matches won world wide.

Isn't the wholesale cost for this game around 40 dollars, with what a couple dollars for manufacturing and shipping and another 6-8 dollars going to microsoft? Wouldn't Capcom make closer to 30 bucks of a game like this?

[fjtorres]

Published reports are companies clear $15 per copy of a $60 game. MS gets about $10 in licensing fees. And there is more overhead than just packaging and shipment.
Gaming is a volume sales business, not a big profit margin play. Nobody is ripping off anybody in this business.

[player_of_the_game]

of cores a game like this is going to get 40$ mill

[taks]

when i saw the trailer for this game was astonished like damn uh gotta get this game. but i heard its as good as ud think

[Boink]

it's a great gaming, stunning visuals, online multiplayer is great fun, the VS's add a nice twist to strategy.

my only complaint is the storyline, it's not bad, it just so typical and cheesy.

[calderra]

I was going to make a comment about "WTH did they spend it on" when I just saw the title- but the actual text makes sense. Advertising is often a much alrger expense than the actual title these days.

...now imagine how much has been spent pushing Crackdown on the masses (which wasn't even necessary considering how great the demo is, but hey).

[gogators]

know how much these companies really make of these games? It's got to be more than 15 bucks, there is no way these companies can make a profit on game only getting 15 bucks in funds back on a title. I thought Microsofts take was closer to 6-8 dollars, wasn't that where Nintendo and Sony have set the bar. Manufactoring with shipping can't be more than 5 dollars on a mass produced game like this, especially seeing how it was pressed and assembled in Mexico. Capcom has got to be making closer to 25 dollars on this game, which still puts them with big losses.

[darktangent]

I have yet to get around to playing lost planet because my 360 died in january. I had the game preordered and mostly paid off but chose to switch it over for crackdown (yes insert grumbles here). I know of at least ten people whose 360's went down who would have purchased this game but are now waiting for upcoming games. I am just wondering how much the recent rise in 360 repairs by Microsoft has affected Lost planet sales. If you visit the xbox forumns there is one thread about 30 pages deep all of individuals whose 360's died in january.

[Havince]

AGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH I tho id start the game on the hardest difficulty last night as i only need the achievments for completing it on the hardest, get level 50 online & get ALL tokens in every difficulty, im level 48........but the hardest difficulty is ni on IMPOSSIBLE. 1st level boss......cant beat him. that thing that rolls in the cave only difference being he has 4 SMALL ONES WITH HIM AND THERE ARE NO MECH'S aaaaaaaaaagggghhhhhhhhh