The Blood of Dawnwalker made for $40 million, positioning it as double-A rather than triple-A

Polish developer Rebel Wolves has disclosed that The Blood of Dawnwalker cost $40 million to produce, positioning the dark fantasy vampire RPG as a double-A title rather than a triple-A blockbuster.

Studio co-founder and game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz shared the budget figure in an interview with Bloomberg. The $40 million investment is substantially lower than major AAA productions. For context, the James Bond game 007 First Light reportedly cost $200 million, though that included licensing fees and high-profile actor wages. CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3, which Tomaszkiewicz also directed, cost $80 million to develop more than a decade ago, with a significant portion allocated to marketing.

Despite the leaner budget, Rebel Wolves demonstrates triple-A ambition in Dawnwalker's design. The game features an unconventional RPG structure that eliminates a traditional main quest, instead giving players freedom to shape their own adventure within a time constraint. Reviewers noted the game occasionally achieves cutting-edge moments, though visuals aren't consistently at the highest tier and the world sometimes feels repetitive. The title compensates through originality and bold design choices that represent the kind of risk-taking projects industry veterans have called essential for the market.