By Sagar V. Mankar In 2023, the gaming industry saw incredible highs with massive hits like Baldur’s Gate 3, The Legend of Zelda, Spider-Man 2, and Hogwarts Legacy.
But it also saw some major flops, like Immortals of Aveum.
The new game from debut studio Ascendant Studios straddled mediocrity with a 69% Metacritic score.
But its huge budget doomed it before release, developers say.
How Much Did Immortals of Aveum Cost to Make?
Anonymous sources close to Ascendant Studios have revealed to IGN that Immortals carried a production budget of around $85 million.
With an additional $40 million in marketing and distribution costs covered by publisher EA, the total ballooned to $125 million.
For a new studio’s first game, not to mention an original IP, this astronomical budget raises serious questions.
Was Such a High Budget Realistic for a New Studio?
Critics argue that the massive scope of Immortals was foolish for Ascendant’s debut.
One developer called it “massively overscoped” and a “truly awful idea.”
Attempting an AAA single-player shooter leveraging Unreal Engine 5 proved too much of a challenge, resulting in “bloated, repetitive”campaigns.
Even with top talent, creating a new franchise around unfamiliar characters is inherently risky.
The large team and long dev time increased costs exponentially.
Ascendant may have bitten off more than it could chew.
How Did Immortals Perform Commercially?
Given its reported $125 million budget, Immortals needed strong sales to turn a profit.
Unfortunately, the game has struggled to find an audience since launching in 2023.
Peak concurrent players on Steam reached just 751.
For a big-budget title, these low player numbers are highly concerning.
Immortals seems unable to attract or retain purchasers, despite Ascendant and EA’s significant investment.
What’s Next For Ascendant Studios?
With Immortals of Aveum falling short of expectations, Ascendant Studios has not yet announced their next project.
The team seems to have acknowledged that chasing AAA production values without an established IP was unrealistic.
Hopefully, their next game takes a more measured approach to match the market’s demands.