Sony's Costly Oversight: Accidental Budget Reveal for The Last of Us 2 and Horizon Forbidden West

Documents submitted as part of the ongoing Xbox Federal Trade Commission case accidentally revealed that The Last of Us: Part II and Horizon Forbidden West each had budgets exceeding $200 million. The poorly-redacted declaration from Sony Interactive Entertainment disclosed that The Last of Us: Part II cost $220 million to develop, while Horizon Forbidden West cost $212 million. These budgets offer a rare glimpse into the world of big-budget game development and highlight the scale and cost of AAA game production. Despite the high costs, both games were successful and played a crucial role in PlayStation's branding. The document also justifies the expenses by emphasizing the deep and ongoing engagement that AAA games create with players.