America's Army Budget Pegged at $32.8 Million

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Developing and maintaining the free-to-play America's Army PC multiplayer shooter series has cost the United States government $32.8 million across the past ten years, GameSpot recently learned through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Initially planned to be a "$7 million range" project concluding around 2007, the America's Army series continues to this day, with the Army claiming that it is a more effective recruitment tool than "any other method of contact."

The most expensive game known, Grand Theft Auto IV, is estimated by developer Rockstar to have cost roughly $100 million. Sega AM2's Shenmue, initially released for the Dreamcast in 1999, previously held that crown with its $70 million budget.

The third major America's Army entry arrived on PC this past June, after which the Army shut down its main Emeryville, CA-based studio and relocated development to the main program office in Redstone Arsenal, AL. Thanks to roushimsx for the heads up.

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    December 9, 2009 1:29 PM

    All things considered... $32.8 million over 10 years doesn't sound too bad...

    • reply
      December 9, 2009 1:35 PM

      Agree.

    • reply
      December 9, 2009 1:36 PM

      [deleted]

      • reply
        December 9, 2009 3:16 PM

        it would make sense that many of the people playing are somewhat inclined towards military service to begin with, so they probably don't even need recruiters in game.

        • reply
          December 9, 2009 4:31 PM

          Indeed.

          Now if they'd remove the rest of their recruiting budget entirely, we might be on to something.

    • reply
      December 9, 2009 1:43 PM

      roughly $9k a day on average.. shit the recruiters spent more than that on "dinners" daily I bet.

      • reply
        December 9, 2009 4:55 PM

        You can't just compare the costs, you also need to figure in how many people they successfully recruit with AA compared to using the recruiters(and other methods). So you can figure out what the cost is per recruit. Then you can compare them.

    • reply
      December 9, 2009 1:46 PM

      10 years of recruiting for 1/10th the price of a single F-22 Raptor? Seems worth it to me.

      Also, we get a video game.

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