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Official: MW2 most successful entertainment launch in history
Thu, 22nd Apr 2010
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Guinness World Records has today confirmed that the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 constitutes the most successful entertainment launch of all time.

Since releasing on November 10th 2009 the title has racked up verified day-one sales of more than US$401.6 million (NZ$565.6 million). It’s also become the fastest-selling entertainment product in its first 24 hours, besting the record previously set by Grand Theft Auto IV.

By way of comparison, Grand Theft Auto IV grossed US$310 million (NZ$436.6 million) on its first day on sale in 2008, while Halo 3 set the same record in 2007 selling US$170 million (NZ$239.5 million) in its first 24 hours on sale.

“Video game releases such as the Call of Duty series have outperformed the launches of major Hollywood blockbusters for several years and the day-one sales for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 proved once again that video games have become cultural events in their own right,” said Guinness World Records  Gamer’s Edition Editor, Gaz Deaves.

“The fan movement and hype surrounding this game in the run-up to launch was almost unprecedented in scale; we acknowledged early on that the big question wasn’t if it would break all-time entertainment records, but rather by how much.”

“This achievement is a reflection of the support from our community of fans around the world,” said Creative Strategist, Robert Bowling from developer Infinity Ward. “The Call of Duty series and Modern Warfare have been our passion – we’ve dedicated our lives to giving our best, so it’s an honour to be recognised by setting a new standard among all entertainment properties.”