Activision has a lot riding on StarCraft II’s success. According to the Wall Street Journal (subscription required), the publisher has contributed some $100 million to the development of the anticipated sequel.
That number puts it roughly on par with Grand Theft Auto IV, which also cost around $100 million to develop. The Wall Street Journal’s report states that the StarCraft II figure doesn’t include marketing, so the cost is apt to be even higher.
StarCraft II has been in development since 2003, but wasn’t officially announced until 2007. Its launch will coincide with the launch of Blizzard’s newly-revamped Battle.net, which adds improved matchmaking, achievements and a host of other features.
