Tag

Budgets

All articles tagged with #budgets

technology1 month ago•5 min saved

GTA 6 Budget Tops $1B, Redefining Game Production Costs

GTA VI is expected to be the most expensive game ever, with budgets rumored to exceed $1 billion and possibly reach $1.5 billion as a result of a decade-long development, massive animation work, and ongoing live-service content; the piece places the cost in context with other big games and films, notes crunch and workplace controversies, and suggests the online component could sustain revenue for years despite doubts about the return on such an investment.

via Engadget|

#budgets #crunch #gta-6

economy3 months ago•3 min saved

Small Towns Priced Out of the 250th Fireworks Boom

As the U.S. marks its 250th anniversary, larger cities can afford bigger Fourth of July displays while smaller towns face rising costs, with some canceling or delaying shows. Vendors report higher minimum budgets and a surge in demand, but limited licensed pyrotechnicians and equipment shortages make scheduling difficult. Some communities consider drones or forgo the boom altogether, leaving the holiday spectacle out of reach for many small towns.

via Axios|

#budgets #economy #fireworks

local4 months ago•3 min saved

St. Johns County Warns of Budget Squeeze From Florida Property Tax Overhaul

St. Johns County officials warn the state's proposed property tax overhaul could cut about $113 million in local revenue by 2029, potentially leaving only a sliver of funding for parks and roads after funding for sheriff and fire departments. The amendment would raise non-school homestead exemptions to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, reduce how much assessments can rise, and limit ad valorem revenue use to core services, with a 60% voter approval threshold in November.

via News4JAX|

#budgets #constitutional-amendment #local

technology4 months ago•3 min saved

AI Token Spending Sparks ROI Debate Across Silicon Valley

A viral remark by Uber COO Andrew Macdonald about AI token usage not clearly delivering productivity gains has intensified Silicon Valley’s backlash against tokenmaxxing. As major firms push AI internally, reports show ballooning budgets and unclear ROI, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai warning about rising costs. While some defend tokenmaxxing as a necessary phase, others urge tying spending to concrete metrics rather than token counts; Jellyfish’s study suggests top token users don’t proportionally outperform peers, underscoring calls for better cost controls. Investors are divided, from caution about an AI bubble to defenders like Garry Tan, reflecting a wider debate over AI’s financial sustainability and real-world impact.

via Business Insider|

#ai #budgets #roi

education4 months ago•7 min saved

Monroe County school elections reshape boards, budgets pass and fail countywide

Monroe County voters delivered a mix of outcomes in local school elections: East Irondequoit approved shrinking its board from nine to seven seats by 2027; Spencerport’s budget was defeated, with next steps potentially a contingency budget or a revote; in Greece, newcomer Jenne LaPlaca defeated incumbent William Maloney; Penfield saw two incumbents lose and board president Aaliyah El-Amin-Turner suspend her re-election bid amid hostile rhetoric; across the county many districts passed budgets, bus purchases, and capital projects as unofficial results rolled in.

via WXXI News|

#budgets #bus-purchases #education

sports-business6 months ago•9 min saved

Sweet 16 Finances: Sky-High Budgets, Big Revenues, and Houston’s Anomaly

A look at 2023-24 budgets and revenues for Sweet 16 programs shows Duke leading both spending (about $25.2M) and revenue (roughly $44.8M), with the group averaging around $15.5M in expenses. Illinois, UConn, Michigan State and others rank high on spending, while Houston spends about $12.5M—the lowest among the Sweet 16 yet still competes, highlighting that bigger budgets help reach the Sweet 16 but don’t guarantee it. The article notes reporting gaps (private schools) and the rise of NIL revenue sharing as factors in roster-building, underscoring that money matters in modern college basketball but the relationship is nuanced.

via The New York Times|

#budgets #college-basketball #nil

business6 months ago•61 min saved

AAA Budgets Balloon: The High Cost of Modern Gaming

The thread centers on surging AAA budgets—often cited in the hundreds of millions, with rumors of up to 300–400 million and even near $2B for GTA6—driving higher game prices and live-service strategies; critics blame bloated teams, expensive studios, licensing, and demand for high-end graphics, while supporters point to leaner, mid- and indie-budget successes (Remedy’s Control ~$30M, Expedition 33 under $10M, Silksong under $5M) and advocate shorter, focused games, asset reuse, outsourcing, and smarter budgeting. AI is discussed as a potential cost-cutting tool but carries concerns about employment and implementation; overall the industry faces questions over sustainability and whether consumers will pay higher prices.

via Push Square|

#aaa #ai #budgets

education2 years ago•4 min saved

"Florida Removes Sociology from University Core Curriculum, Citing Opposition to 'Woke' Ideology"

Florida's State University System Board of Governors removed sociology as a core course requirement for university students, replacing it with a U.S. history pre-1877 course, and also barred the use of state or federal money for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The decisions were framed as combating "woke ideology" in higher education, sparking protests from Florida State University students. In other news, the Board of Governors censured the chairperson of the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees, and the House and Senate unveiled preliminary education budget plans for the upcoming fiscal year.

via Tampa Bay Times|

#budgets #education #florida

entertainment2 years ago•14 min saved

"Pedro Pascal Exposes Marvel's Money as the Ultimate Villain"

Pedro Pascal's potential casting as Mister Fantastic in Marvel's Fantastic Four highlights the issue of Marvel's bloated budgets and reliance on big-name actors. In the early days of the MCU, Marvel took risks by casting relatively unknown actors, which paid off as they became huge stars. However, as budgets have skyrocketed, the studio has become risk-averse, leading to forgettable and formulaic films. Marvel's reliance on post-production tinkering and the shift towards hiring directors as "hired hands" has further impacted the creative process. The constant output of content on Disney+ has also alienated casual fans, causing a decline in interest. To fix these issues, Marvel needs to reduce its output, lower budgets, and focus on delivering compelling stories rather than relying solely on star power.

via IGN|

#budgets #creative-risks #entertainment

gaming3 years ago•1 min saved

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.

via IGN|

#budgets #game-development #gaming

gaming3 years ago•1 min saved

Sony's Costly Gaming Ventures: The Last of Us 2 and Horizon Forbidden West's Multi-Million Dollar Budgets Exposed

The budgets for two of Sony's biggest games, The Last of Us 2 and Horizon Forbidden West, have been revealed in poorly redacted documents submitted as part of the FTC's lawsuit against Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The Last of Us 2 cost $220 million to make, while Horizon Forbidden West cost $212 million, not including marketing expenses. These figures highlight the increasing costs of game development and may explain Sony's reluctance to include these titles in its PS Plus subscription on launch day.

via Push Square|

#budgets #game-development #gaming

gaming3 years ago•2 min saved

AAA game development budgets hit new heights.

The Competition and Markets Authority's report on Microsoft's failed acquisition of Activision Blizzard reveals that game development budgets for AAA titles are "reaching unprecedented ranges," with budgets for games greenlit for release in 2024 or 2025 exceeding $200 million. Call of Duty's development budgets have gone over $300 million, while the next Grand Theft Auto title is expected to hit $250 million or higher. One publisher discussed how just one AAA game could see a development budget ranging between $90 million and $180 million, while the marketing budget could hit anywhere between $50 million and $150 million.

via TrueAchievements|

#aaa-games #budgets #call-of-duty

gaming3 years ago•2 min saved

The Soaring Costs of Developing AAA Games

Testimony in the regulatory fight over Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard shows that game publishers are spending more than ever to make new entries in their biggest franchises, with some AAA franchises like Call of Duty having development budgets already exceeding $300 million, and the next Grand Theft Auto and other future tent-poles are also expected to hit $250 million or higher. This unsustainable trend has publishers continuing to retreat into their most trusted franchises, and it's unlikely another company could reasonably make a replacement for Call of Duty anytime soon.

via Kotaku|

#blockbuster-games #budgets #call-of-duty