The vampire-themed RPG Blood of the Dawnwalker sold over 1 million copies within two days of its release. According to Bloomberg, the game was funded by NetEase with a budget of only $40 million. Developer Rebel Wolves has already begun planning a sequel.
Chinese company NetEase invested in 26% of Rebel Wolves, the developer of Blood of the Dawnwalker, and set the game's budget, while Bandai Namco eventually stepped in as the publisher. In 2024, NetEase achieved massive success with Marvel Rivals, which remains a popular multiplayer shooter.
The $40 million figure is significant for several reasons, but it doesn't fully reflect the development process and profitability of Blood of the Dawnwalker. We know that the game sold over 1 million copies in just a few days, which is enough for Rebel Wolves to fully commit to developing a sequel.
With an investment of approximately $40 million, Blood of the Dawnwalker sits alongside other popular AA-tier RPGs such as Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (reportedly budgeted at around $41 million) and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (a smaller budget, but still considered AA, slightly under $10 million).
In recent years, these types of games have been seen as exemplars of a healthier approach to game development: smaller teams, smaller scale but still rich in content, and significantly reduced budgets.
Numerous current and former game studio heads, as well as industry experts, support the rise of AA games. Jon Bellamy, CEO of Jagex (now overseeing the series), believes that even with a budget just one-tenth of the $400 million typical for AAA titles, "if made correctly, it can achieve nearly comparable results."
For reference, leaked Sony court documents from 2023 revealed that games like The Last of Us Part II and Horizon Forbidden West had production costs exceeding $200 million. After years of development and multiple delays, the total budget for GTA 6 is expected to surpass $1 billion.
Blood of the Dawnwalker is priced at $70, currently holds a Metacritic score of 84, and maintains an 86% positive user review rating on Steam. After surpassing 1 million sales, Rebel Wolves has already started formulating plans for a sequel.