You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Contents hide Every year, the Call of Duty franchise manages to set new records by generating huge revenue as millions get their hands on the latest release, often bolstered by expensive battle passes microtransactions after release. While Activision often flexes the billions generated through sales and microtransactions, Call of Dutys publisher rarely shares the intel on the budgets required to create a blockbuster first-person shooter.It takes several years and a huge budget to create a triple-A release year after year. Sometimes, a huge budget doesnt mean a successful release. A recent court filing has revealed the most expensive Call of Duty, on record, ended up selling the least number of copies compared to previous games. Black Ops Cold War didnt sell despite huge budgetA report from GameFile reveals Activision spent a total of $700 million on the development of 2020s Black Ops Cold War throughout development, including the six seasons of post-launch content. The number appeared from a document filed by Patrick Kelly, Activisions head of creative overseeing Call of Duty.Although Black Ops Cold War had the most budget, the game sold 30 million copies. A respectable total but far lower than other entries in the franchise. The filing also revealed 2015s Black Ops 3 cost $450 million, selling 43 million copies while 2019s Modern Warfare reboot cost $640 million and recorded 41 million sales.Developed by Black Ops 6 developer Treyarch and Raven Software, Black Ops Cold War launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when studios had to adapt to new working methods to create games for a world in lockdown.Was the pandemic to blame?Theres a high chance the pandemic played a role in Black Ops Cold War recording significantly lower sales than its predecessors showing a large budget doesnt necessarily mean a well-received product.At its core, Black Ops Cold War isnt the worst Call of Duty game ever made. But, considering it launched with one of the largest budgets ever seen, its likely Activision saw the Black Ops 4 sequel as a flop after struggling to meet the high bar set by Modern Warfare and older Black Ops games.For more CoD, check out the best C9 loadout along with the best keyboard and mouse settings to keep you shooting straight. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold WarPlatform(s):PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Shooter7VideoGamerRelated TopicsCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share