There's two more questions that someone familiar with programming can maybe answer :
- If the development lasts 5 years or more (like it will, at best), don't they run the risk that some part of the programming may become "obsolete" (like if a new DirectX comes out or something), especially since they have the pretense of making a cutting edge game ?
- Post launch support, servers and all that is probably not something trivial cost wise. Shouldn't the budget already have some money set aside (esp. since there should be no subscriptions) if the sales can't support the cash flow ?
(Not that I think they will reach the release stage... But heh, who knows ?)
It's only a very wild guesstimate, but crunching hypothetical numbers and taking as a reference point my current employer, it seems fairly plausible their current yearly spending is in the 20-40m bracket. For wages for 260 employees I arrive at a 12m yearly payroll by being conservative to which is added rent, utilities, hardware & software, some marketing, shows & conventions, subcontractors, the month(s) long motion capture gig (at Andy Serkis studio) with a "top level" casting which alone should cost a several millions one off expense, etc... They started out much smaller but still makes you wonder. It's still unclear what other sources of funds they might have, but the pledge money certainly can't last forever at that pace.
