PlayStation Accidentally Reveals Confidential Last of Us Info During Microsoft Hearing

 

During the recent FTC v. Microsoft hearing, confidential information from PlayStation was accidentally revealed when a black Sharpie marker used to redact certain details failed to completely conceal them. According to reports from The Verge, the documents disclosed the substantial amount of money spent by the company on specific games. It was revealed that the production cost of The Last of Us Part II amounted to around $220 million, with a team of 200 employees dedicated to its development. Similarly, Horizon Forbidden West incurred expenses of approximately $212 million, with a team of 300 employees working on the game over a period of five years.

Typically, publishers keep the costs of AAA game development confidential, making these revelations particularly intriguing. The number of staff involved in game development is also rarely disclosed, as the staff credits in games tend to be incomplete. It would be fascinating to compare staffing and development costs across different games and see how they have evolved over the years, especially when comparing the original The Last of Us and Horizon Zero Dawn. Unfortunately, such data was not included in the Sony documents, and it is unlikely that the company will willingly provide such information. Nonetheless, these disclosures provide gamers with valuable insights into the industry's investment in creating blockbuster games.

The Last of Us franchise has emerged as one of PlayStation's most successful series, and the popularity of the HBO adaptation has likely attracted new players to both titles. The Last of Us Part II has sold over 10 million copies as of last year, demonstrating that the significant investment was well worth it. Additionally, the sequel will serve as the foundation for the second season of the HBO series, illustrating that the financial success of a game extends beyond direct sales figures. Horizon Forbidden West has also achieved impressive sales, surpassing 8 million copies sold as of April.