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Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II has had record sales of $800 million worldwide in sell-through following the first three days from its release.
The full title debuted on October 28 after hitting early-access release for the single-player campaign on October 20, breaking all previous three-day sales records since the franchise debuted in 2003.
The blockbuster opening tops any of the biggest worldwide box office openings of 2022, surpassing Top Gun: Maverick, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness worldwide box office openings combined, Activision Blizzard announced (based on data from boxofficemojo.com). The company didn’t say the exact number of copies sold, but it beat out the titles from the past two years as well as 2019’s hit Call of Duty: Modern Warfare’s opening.
Modern Warfare II also set a new franchise opening-weekend record as the No. 1 top-selling Call of Duty digital opening through its first three days. Developed by Infinity Ward (and nine other Activision studios), the release of Modern Warfare II represents a revival for the entertainment franchise, which will continue with the upcoming release of Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 on November 16.
“Thank you to our talented team that has created magic through extraordinary artistry and technology, and to the global community of players who find joy and connection through Call of Duty. This milestone belongs to them,” said Bobby Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard, in a statement.
Modern Warfare II’s opening topped the previous five-day franchise record set in 2011 by Modern Warfare 3 in sell-through, to become the biggest opening ever in Call of Duty. That title sold $650 million in its opening five days, with the primary lower price of $60 compared to today’s $70.
Players around the world took part in the new launch, setting new player participation franchise records for number of unique players and hours played through its first three days of premium release. Sell-through refers to titles sold through to consumers at retail or via digital distribution.
“Thank you, Call of Duty players, for making Modern Warfare II’s launch one for the record books as well as the highest-grossing entertainment opening of the year. It is our honor and privilege to deliver such a historic launch weekend for the best fans in the world,” said Johanna Faries, general manager of Call of Duty, in a statement. “As amazing as this opening has been, Call of Duty has much more in store. An unprecedented level of support for the Modern Warfare universe is on the horizon and Warzone 2.0’s launch is right around the corner. It’s an incredible time for the franchise.”
Modern Warfare II is available worldwide on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC for Battle.net, Blizzard Entertainment’s online gaming service, and Steam.
The development was led by Infinity Ward alongside Activision Central Design, Activision Central Tech, Activision Localization Dublin, Activision QA, Activision Shanghai, Beenox, Demonware, High Moon Studios, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Toys for Bob and Treyarch.
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Author: Dean Takahashi
Source: Venturebeat
