What is a AAAA Game? One Title Might Deserve It

Patrick.Yu · July 2

In recent years, the term "AAAA game" has started appearing in job postings, investor presentations, and marketing materials. It suggests something beyond the traditional AAA title, more money, more development time, and more ambition. But the term has quickly become a punchline. Few, if any, games labeled as AAAA have lived up to the promise.

Most of the time, the label signals bloated production timelines, management issues, or studio overreach. Several of these games have struggled to launch, and the ones that did arrive often disappointed both critics and players. Instead of defining a new standard for excellence, AAAA has largely become a symbol of the industry's habit of overhyping unfinished ideas.

To understand how the term got here, it's important to clarify what a AAAA game is supposed to represent and why no one seems to agree on what it means.

What is a AAAA game supposed to be?

Unlike AAA, which is broadly understood to describe high-budget titles developed by major studios, AAAA has no official definition. It is a self-imposed label used by publishers to market their games as exceptional in scope and production. Still, there are some common traits found in titles that use the term.

Typical AAAA claims include:

Development budgets that exceed $200 million
Teams made up of hundreds of developers across multiple global studios
Lengthy development cycles, often more than five years
Proprietary technology or heavily customized game engines
Live service features, in-game economies, and seasonal content
Large-scale marketing campaigns, sometimes with TV tie-ins or merchandise

The term started appearing in job listings as early as 2012 but didn’t enter wider usage until the late 2010s. One of the earliest high-profile examples came in 2020 when The Initiative, an Xbox studio, began hiring for a "AAAA experience." That project was later revealed to be a reboot of Perfect Dark, which is still in pre-production.

Since then, companies like Ubisoft and Crafton have embraced the term, though often without clear justification. In many cases, the AAAA label is more about attracting investors or talent than setting expectations for players. And more often than not, it sets the bar so high that the game cannot possibly reach it.

The next sections will look at how this has played out in real-world examples.

Where did the term come from

While AAA games have long been associated with major studios and blockbuster budgets, the term "AAAA" only started gaining visibility in the past decade. It appeared sporadically in job listings as early as 2012, but it wasn’t until 2020 that it became a talking point. That year, Xbox's studio The Initiative began hiring for a "AAAA experience," sparking industry curiosity. The project was eventually revealed to be a reboot of Perfect Dark, a game that, years later, remains in pre-production.

Other companies soon followed. Ubisoft began referring to select titles as AAAA games, including Skull and Bones and Beyond Good and Evil 2. Crafton described The Callisto Protocol as a AAAA horror game in its investor presentations. CD Projekt Red later mocked the trend by joking that its next titles would be "pentuple-A" games.

Despite its increasing use, the AAAA label has no formal definition. Studios and publishers have used it to project ambition, attract top talent, and justify large development budgets. But over time, the term has become more closely associated with troubled development cycles and failed expectations.

Why Skull and Bones failed as a AAAA game

Ubisoft has been one of the most vocal publishers to embrace the AAAA label, and Skull and Bones was the first title it openly described that way. The project originally began as a naval expansion for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, but it evolved into a standalone pirate game after several shifts in direction. At various points, it was planned as an MMO, a survival game, and a PvPvE live service title.

The game spent more than ten years in development and reportedly cost over 200 million dollars. It was co-developed by multiple Ubisoft studios, including Ubisoft Singapore, which played a central role in production. One of the reasons the game could not be canceled, despite its troubled development, was a subsidy agreement with the Singaporean government. Ubisoft had received public funding and incentives as part of a deal to support the growth of the local game industry and create jobs. As a result, the company was contractually obligated to release the game, regardless of its internal struggles or commercial viability.

When Skull and Bones finally launched in early 2024, it was met with lukewarm reviews. Critics pointed to shallow gameplay systems, repetitive missions, and technical issues. Despite free trials and seasonal content, player numbers dropped rapidly. Ubisoft itself admitted that the game was unlikely to break even.

The company continued to frame Skull and Bones as a AAAA game, justifying its 70-dollar price and live-service structure, which included battle passes, premium currencies, and in-game cosmetic purchases. However, none of these features distinguished it from other standard AAA live-service titles already on the market.

Instead of leading the next generation of blockbuster games, Skull and Bones became a cautionary tale about overextending scope and mismanaging resources. The Singapore subsidy may have guaranteed the game’s release, but it could not guarantee its success.

Other AAAA games that didn’t or haven’t delivered

Several other titles marketed as AAAA games have also struggled to meet expectations.

The Callisto Protocol, released in 2022 by Striking Distance Studios, was pitched as a spiritual successor to Dead Space. With a budget reportedly exceeding 130 million dollars and a team led by veteran developer Glen Schofield, expectations were high. However, the game suffered from technical issues, a limited combat system, and underwhelming enemy design. Sales fell short of projections, and its reception was mostly average. Though post-launch patches improved performance, the experience felt less like a leap forward and more like a missed opportunity.

Perfect Dark, developed by The Initiative, is still one of the most prominent AAAA titles in development. Since its announcement, the game has experienced high turnover, with multiple senior staff departures and outside studios like Crystal Dynamics brought in to assist. As of 2025, it remains in pre-production with no clear release timeline.

Beyond Good and Evil 2 holds the dubious distinction of being the longest-running unreleased game in development history. Originally announced in 2008 and reintroduced in 2017 with a cinematic trailer, the game has since disappeared from public view. Ubisoft has continued to describe it as a AAAA project and an "open universe" game, though it is still in pre-production according to recent interviews with studio leadership.

Each of these games highlights a recurring pattern. The AAAA label is often applied early in development to generate hype or secure investment. But in practice, it has become a warning sign for projects burdened by scope creep, shifting creative direction, and marketing that promises more than the final product can deliver.

What might actually deserve the AAAA label

Most games that have claimed the AAAA title have struggled to justify it. One upcoming release, however, stands apart. Not because it uses the label, but because it meets the criteria without needing to say so.

Grand Theft Auto VI has not been officially marketed as a AAAA game, but it aligns with everything the label is supposed to represent. It reportedly has a combined development and marketing budget between 1 and 2 billion dollars, making it the most expensive game ever produced. Development has spanned over a decade, involving Rockstar’s global network of studios.

The game's debut trailer broke YouTube records and generated widespread industry buzz. Early footage reveals major improvements in AI systems, open-world simulation, and graphical detail. The game is also expected to launch alongside a new version of GTA Online, designed for ongoing updates and long-term player engagement.

Recently, rumors emerged suggesting GTA 6 could be priced at 100 dollars. While Take-Two has not confirmed a price, CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed the speculation in an investor Q&A. He stated that the company follows a "variable pricing" approach based on perceived value and audience demand. According to Zelnick, pricing decisions are made using a framework focused on delivering more value to players than what they pay. He also emphasized that if a game becomes a major hit, the revenue will naturally follow.

No matter the final price, GTA 6 looks positioned to set new benchmarks in game development, production value, and cultural influence.

Final thoughts

The AAAA label has become more marketing than meaning. For most projects, it has been used to inflate expectations or defend rising budgets, often without results to match.

If AAAA is to be a meaningful distinction, it should be reserved for games that reshape the industry through scale, execution, and long-term impact. So far, few have met that standard. But Grand Theft Auto VI appears to be the first game that might actually fulfill the promise the term was supposed to represent.