The investment in the development of Horizon Forbidden West has revealed surprising figures, exceeding 200 million dollars, making it one of the most expensive projects in the history of video games. This information came to light amid a lawsuit between Sony and Tencent, where allegations of plagiarism related to Horizon Zero Dawn forced PlayStation to present internal documents highlighting the investment made in the game’s design.
An absolutely exuberant game
The art director of Guerrilla Games, Jan-Bart van Beek, detailed that each of the tribes inhabiting the vast world of Horizon Forbidden West was conceived through a rigorous process of research and design. Each tribe had style guides that varied between 60 and 200 pages, covering everything from physical characteristics to clothing and architecture. These efforts included collaborations with anthropologists to ensure that the aesthetics of each group authentically reflected their biome and cultural identity.
Van Beek offered the Nora tribe as an example, whose clothing is made from materials such as skins, leather, and linen, adorned with embroidery and decorations that highlight their culture. This meticulous attention to detail has not only contributed to the artistic and narrative quality of the game but also explains the exorbitant costs associated with its development.
At a time when the business model of AAA video games is on shaky ground, the enormous investment made in Horizon Forbidden West reminds us of the complexity and risk involved in creating interactive open worlds. This context raises questions about the viability of the current model in an ever-evolving industry.
