The game “Genshin Impact,” developed by miHoYo, has captured the attention of countless players since its release, thanks to its ambitious scope and ongoing updates. However, the development costs for this game have been staggering. Since “Genshin Impact” was released on September 28, 2020, miHoYo has invested approximately $5 billion in its continuous development, making it one of the most expensive games ever created.
Initially, the budget for “Genshin Impact” was only $1 billion, but two years later, the costs have ballooned to $5 billion. According to KeiraFaith, a Reddit forum user, who compiled relevant data based on miHoYo’s official information, the initial budget was $1 billion, and the annual cost was $4 billion. miHoYo stated that starting from 2021, the annual budget for the game increased from $1 billion to $2 billion. If this budget remains constant until September 2022, the total development cost for “Genshin Impact” will exceed $5 billion.
Currently, “Star Citizen” holds the top spot for the most expensive game with a development cost exceeding $4 billion, followed by “Cyberpunk 2077,” with a development cost of $3.16 billion. By the end of 2023, “Genshin Impact” is expected to surpass both of these games and become the most expensive game in history.
The development costs for “Genshin Impact” primarily involve the creation of new characters, in-game events, new regions (Liyue and Rattanose), and the main storyline. Additionally, server maintenance and expansion of the development studio have been factored into the costs. However, according to media reports, “Genshin Impact” generates annual revenue exceeding $30 billion, allowing miHoYo to achieve substantial returns despite the huge costs.
The success of “Genshin Impact” demonstrates that by continually updating and adding new content, such as new characters and storylines, it can sustainably attract players to invest both time and money. When the 3.0 version of “Genshin Impact” is released, miHoYo is expected to earn even more.