Analysts estimate game development to have cost $100 million; additional $100 million spent on marketing and promotion.

According to a New York Times article citing unnamed analysts, BioShock Infinite may have cost its parent company Take-Two Interactive $100 million to develop, with a further $100 million spent to promote and market the game to the public.

BioShock Infinite is the third instalment in the series and has been in development at Irrational Games for four years, with a 200 person team working on the project. The game follows on from 2007's BioShock, and 2010's BioShock 2.

The cost of developing games has risen across the board in recent years. Last month, using a "hypothetical profitability model", Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia predicted that Grand Theft Auto V–s creation may cost in excess of $137.5 million based on a 250-person team during a five-year development period. An additional $69 million to $109.3 million is expected to be spent in marketing costs to raise awareness for the game.

By comparison, during its six years of production--across four continents and through the hands of more than 800 developers--2011's Star Wars: The Old Republic reportedly cost publisher EA $200 million dollars in development costs alone.

For more on BioShock Infinite, check out GameSpot's hour-long discussion with Irrational Games creative director Ken Levine.

[UPDATE]: BioShock Infinite creative director Ken Levine has tweeted, refuting the claims made by the New York Times report. "200 million for Infinite? Did someone send some checks to the wrong address?"

A spokesperson speaking on behalf of the game declined to provide GameSpot with an official statement clarifying the cost of development.

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