Midway investing $30 million in Stranglehold - Most expensive next-generation game

Midway's European MD Martin Spiess has told GamesIndustry.biz the publisher is investing USD 30 million in upcoming action game Stranglehold.

Spiess claims the new IP could be the most expensive next-generation game in development, but is confident that come the September release the massive investment will pay off, with retail and consumers already very positive about the title.

[DiLeCtioN]

this gen is really pricy

[marinelife9]

I'm not sure what about the game cost 30 mil? Are they sure that's USD's?

[s8anicslayer]

that's why people are buying the, it's cheap

[ngg12345]

Though.

[ShiftyLookingCow]

John Woo could have made a film I guess

[sjappie]

It doesn't really show from what I've seen.

[LSDARBY]

Couldnt agree more

[ShiftyLookingCow]

agreed

[Crazyglues]

AGREED!!! this is not on my radar as a game to get it really doesn't show next gen graphics at all to me. Looks more cheesy

I mean look at what killzone 2 did with 30 million and now look at what they did. Huge difference. -in their defense I think they where not really set on making a nex gen title but more an every system title that could be spread across all platforms.

[VirusE]

They must be eating tons of "business lunches"! 30 mill is some serious cheese.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Yup

[Chava]

.

[BubblesDAVERAGE]

They could have used this money toward Unreal Tournament...yet all they have to say is " from the makers of Gears of WAr" Unreal Tournament lol ...For ps3 and Pc only...I know its comming to 360 but they arent going to name it

[DiLeCtioN]

yh bubbles after i downloaded the trailer on psn store,replayed it about 3 times just to hear the guy..."from the studio that brought you gears of war" lol :)

[FreedomReign]

Well this is their last chance, other than MK, and The Suffering I've seen nothing but dissappointment from this developer.

Hour of Victory anyone?

[SuperSaiyan4]

Taking bets...Its only costing them lots because of putting the movie on the PS3 version.

Also this game seems to rip off some Max Payne elements.

Also I hate the main character the guy does not have a face for movies or games for that matter.

[Daz]

I think they didnt rip of nothing, they took ideas from hard boiled the movie, if you seen you would understand.

[LeShin]

Sorry to disappoint you but Daz is right. Max Payne ripped off Hard Boiled and every two gun toting characters in games since have done the same.

[Loudninja]

That movie will push alot of copies

[ENNO]

for 30 mil this games looks bad....

[Salvadore]

Didn't Capcom invest $40 million (along with advertisement) for Lost Planet?

[ShiftyLookingCow]

good point, could be for the ads

[Kleptic]

yeah these "budgets" are never clear...if it is development of the game only...that is a big deal...such as the rumored 20 million+ for KZ2 on development only...and marketing/advertising budgets are kept totally seperate...

it is extremely unlikely that this 30 million is simply for development...it uses UE3 as middleware, which is a development price cutter to begin with...

Edit@ 12 below...my numbers were exaggerated sort of as a joke...yours numbers are probably pretty close to reality...overall its obvious that the game itself has nothing that looks like only 30 million could bring...

I bet the 30 million dollars is something like 15 million to Chow Yun-Fat, 10 million to John Woo, and 5 million for the game and everything else...

not sure if anyone is excited about this game or not...but it looks like it could end up flopping to me...

[yocdub]

5-10 Mil probably split between CHOW-YUN-FAT and the License from John Woo to do the game. The rest spent on development. Still whatever it costs it looks like money well spent.

[Genki]

licensing for Chow Yun Fat and John Woo? Maybe

This game just doesn't have the pedigree of a 30 million dollar game, period. It looks fun, no doubt, but there's nothing new about this game, nothing different, it doesn't even use it's own proprietary engine for crying out loud!

When you look at games as refined and detailed as Gears, Killzone, MGS4, and Mass Effect...I can't help but snicker at the thought of this.

Sorry, I know money won't make a game good, but it goes a long way towards providing people with the tools(and other people, for that matter) and resources they need to deliver...and this game does not look like that.

[jerseynets04]

30 million on a game wiith a fat old asian dude for the main character? and its movie based? what the hell was midway thinking, bad investment

[s8anicslayer]

they just copied sony's jet li's rise to honor!

[The Real Joker]

Damn. I thought paying $60 for a game was a little high. I guess I better start saving. 30 million?

[boi]

its properly due to the fact of hiring the legendary John Woo and Chow Yun Fat...

oh well I myself are getting this game due too Chow Yun Fat lol

[batman2million]

wow..i thought i was the only one who thought that this game doesn't seem all that..

apparently I'm not...

[sandip787]

its been getting really good previews, maybe when ti comes out and gets great reviews people will be more interested

[THE_JUDGE]

don't understand why Midway would put that much into it.

[jinn]

this game is just another dead to rights except you play as a Chinese man with good game graphics. DEFINITELY NOT WORTH BUYING.

[soccerstar]

"In order to recoup development money you obviously have to sell a lot of units, but what we're seeing to date is that we will sell those units. Stranglehold will be the top selling title this Christmas," claimed Spiess.

LOL what is he smoking???????

[bootsielon]

And it's constantly increasing. That is about 40 million dollars, and increasing...

Some said Lost Planet cost 40 million... but that's because 20 million was spent on advertising. That leaves out 20 million just for the game... but wait, there's more. The game was started on PS2 dev kits but since developers wouldn't be able to reach their vision, yet Capcom wanted to make some money fast, they ported it to 360. That's why it cost so much (yet it doesn't seem to show).

I'm not hating here, it's a good game, but it doesn't even show a 20 million budget. Just go to metacritic...