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Which is noteworthy since the game development was done allegedly over the span of a few weeks [1] ( and hence it was a flop since it was too rushed ). But I'm

Which is noteworthy since the game development was done allegedly over the span of a few weeks [1] ( and hence it was a flop since it was too rushed ). But I'm wondering how you can - in 1982 - spend 22M on game development over a few weeks? Maybe the licensing costs for the ET brand were the biggest expense there... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(vi...

vlunkr 4y ago
Could also be that the marketing cost is included on that one. It was made by one guy in less than one month, so it's certainly not the actual development.
lkbm 4y ago
That article led me to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 which I didn't know about, but is very impressive.
- bena 4y ago
  Really, that's amazing. It's a seminal point in video game history. It effectively divides the era of American driven development and Japanese driven development. Like, I knew this day was coming, when events stop being common culture and start becoming history, but it's still wild to see.
  - lkbm 4y ago
    I could believe it was well-known when it happened, but I suspect that most people not in the industry didn't know, or barely noticed. By ten years later, it seems quite unlikely most people would know. I'm 40, so I was ~1 when it happened. If it had happened when I was 15 I likely would've been paying attention, but by 1997 it was ancient history.
aidenn0 4y ago
Could have also included the cost to manufacture the cartridges?
cge 4y ago
The source for the $22m amount in Wikipedia [1] actually gives that amount as just the licensing cost, which fits the $20-25m figure given in the game's Wikipedia article, from a few other sources. It appears that the Wikipedia list is assuming there were actually no development costs that were significant compared to the licensing. [1]: https://www.avclub.com/howard-scott-warshaw-1798208406 https://www.avclub.com/howard-scott-warshaw-1798208406 [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game)#Development https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(vi...
autoexec 4y ago
From the wikipedia article: "Kassar reportedly offered Warshaw US$200,000 and an all-expenses-paid vacation to Hawaii in compensation." If true, that couldn't have helped. $200,000 for a little over one month's work in the early 80s is crazy enough, but a man can rack up a whole lot of expenses while on vacation in Hawaii.

vlunkr 4y ago

Could also be that the marketing cost is included on that one. It was made by one guy in less than one month, so it's certainly not the actual development.

lkbm 4y ago

That article led me to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_crash_of_1983 which I didn't know about, but is very impressive.

bena 4y ago
Really, that's amazing. It's a seminal point in video game history. It effectively divides the era of American driven development and Japanese driven development. Like, I knew this day was coming, when events stop being common culture and start becoming history, but it's still wild to see.
- lkbm 4y ago
  I could believe it was well-known when it happened, but I suspect that most people not in the industry didn't know, or barely noticed. By ten years later, it seems quite unlikely most people would know. I'm 40, so I was ~1 when it happened. If it had happened when I was 15 I likely would've been paying attention, but by 1997 it was ancient history.

aidenn0 4y ago

Could have also included the cost to manufacture the cartridges?

cge 4y ago

The source for the $22m amount in Wikipedia [1] actually gives that amount as just the licensing cost, which fits the $20-25m figure given in the game's Wikipedia article, from a few other sources. It appears that the Wikipedia list is assuming there were actually no development costs that were significant compared to the licensing. [1]: https://www.avclub.com/howard-scott-warshaw-1798208406 https://www.avclub.com/howard-scott-warshaw-1798208406 [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(video_game)#Development https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial_(vi...

autoexec 4y ago

From the wikipedia article: "Kassar reportedly offered Warshaw US$200,000 and an all-expenses-paid vacation to Hawaii in compensation." If true, that couldn't have helped. $200,000 for a little over one month's work in the early 80s is crazy enough, but a man can rack up a whole lot of expenses while on vacation in Hawaii.