Call of Duty(R): Modern Warfare(R) 2 Sets All-Time Entertainment Industry Record Grossing an Estimated $550 Million Worldwide in First Five Days
Biggest Entertainment Launch in History Continues to Break Records
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov 18, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Activision Blizzard, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today that Infinity Ward's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 continues to shatter theatrical box office and video game sales records for five-day worldwide sell through in dollars. The biggest entertainment launch in history set a new worldwide estimated five-day sell-through record of approximately $550 million, according to internal Activision estimates.
Modern Warfare 2's launch beat all previous first-and five-day entertainment industry box office, book and video game sell-through records*:
-- The largest reported five-day opening worldwide box office gross
figures, held by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($394 million)
-- The largest reported five-day opening domestic box office gross figures,
held by The Dark Knight ($203.8 million)
-- The largest reported five-day worldwide video game sales record,
previously held by Grand Theft Auto IV (6 million units, $500 million)
-- The largest reported opening first-day domestic box office gross
figures, held by The Dark Knight ($66.4 million)
-- The largest reported first-day book sales in dollars, held by Harry
Potter & The Deathly Hallows ($220 million)
-- The largest reported first-day worldwide video game sales record,
previously held by Grand Theft Auto IV (3.6 million units, $310 million)
Modern Warfare 2's blast radius also extends to Xbox LIVE, in which the blockbuster title's epic release established the following new standards, according to Microsoft:
-- More than 5.2 million multiplayer hours were logged playing Call of
Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on the first day alone.
-- More than 2.2 million unique gamers played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
2 in one day on November 10th. A new one-day record for Xbox LIVE.
-- More than 11 million achievements were unlocked on Call of Duty: Modern
Warfare 2 on the first day.
"In just five days of sell through Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has become the largest entertainment launch in history and a pop culture phenomenon," said Robert Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard, Inc. "The title's success redefines entertainment as millions of consumers have chosen to play Modern Warfare 2 at unprecedented levels rather than engage in other forms of media."
Despite the success of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Activision Blizzard remains cautious about the U.S. and global economy as well as other variables that can affect industry fundamentals and our own performance, including consumer spending which remains a significant concern.
Wait didn't the head of Activision say he would raise video game prices if he could? Makes me want to throw up a little.
Oh well, despite the people that run the company for which I don't have a lot of fondness.....kudos to the game developers who have apparently made one of the better games out there, I haven't played it yet (and apparently I am the only one) but I have heard nothing but good things about Modern Warfare 2.
