Former THQ President: Last Light Budget 10 Percent of Standard Shooter

Metro: Last Light has been a critical success. Although we’re yet to see how the game has performed with consumers, reviewers have had plenty of good things to say about this post-apocalyptic shooter. Many see it as an underdog story, but according to former THQ President Jason Rubin, what 4A Games pulled off is even more impressive than you’d think.

Rubin decided to come out with his story through GameIndustry International, painting a picture of difficult working conditions and a miniscule budget.

“The entire 4A studio would fit easily in the (underutilized) gym at EA Los Angeles' offices. Yet Last Light's Metacritic score blows away Medal of Honor Warfighter,” Rubin said. “As undeniably fantastic as competitor BioShock Infinite may be, the team was given whatever resources they needed to make the title. At the same time, 4A's staff sat on folding wedding chairs, literally elbow to elbow at card tables in what looks more like a packed grade school cafeteria than a development studio.”

There were constant power outages, dev kits that were snuck into the building from the States, and poor heating throughout the development process. The studio was at a disadvantage form the start, but according to Rubin, still managed to create something special.   

“The budget of Last Light is less than some of its competitors spend on cut scenes, a mere 10 percent of the budget of its biggest competitors. Yet it is lauded for its story and atmosphere,” he said. “It is built on a completely original and proprietary second-generation engine that competes with sequels that have stopped numbering themselves, with more engineers on their tech than 4A has on the entire project. Yet its tech chops are never in question.”

There’s no true norm for video game development at this time. Some companies have all the resource they’ll ever need, while groups like 4A Games are forced to work in less-than-stellar conditions. Thankfully, there are people around willing to tell these stories.