Activision leaps into Modern Warfare 2 sales figure fight
As Grand Theft Auto IV's loses day-one sales crown
The publisher of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has waded into the conflict surrounding the game’s day-one sales, claiming that 4.2m copies of the videogame were shifted within 24 hours.
The title notched up “sell-though sales” of $130m in the UK and North America combined during its first 24 hours of availability, according to "internal Activision estimates" – rather than hard sales figures from retailers, you'll note - the company claimed.
If Activision’s unit and sell-though sales figures are correct then MW2 has raised the bar for day-one sales of a videogame. The previous record was set by Grand Theft Auto IV, which sold 3.7m copies within its first 24 hours.
Market watcher GfK Chart-Track was the first market watcher to publically estimate MW2’s day-one UK sales figure. The game shifted 1.23m copies here, it said.
Broadpoint AmTech analyst Ben Schachter later extrapolated from Chart-Track’s figures to conclude that a whopping 7m copies of MW2 had been sold globally on day one alone. However, a rival analyst, Wedbush Securities' Michael Pachter called that global figure into question, suggesting that the 7m total was wide of the mark.
Dorian Bloch, Director of Chart-Track, subsequently said that he is confident that his firm’s 1.23m MW2 UK sales figure is accurate since it based on direct electronic point-of-sale data.
How will these pundits respond to Activision's entry into the debate? We shall see, but one thing is clear: Modern Warfare 2 has shifted a sh**load of copies and the game’s fans will be waking up with sore thumbs this morning.
Apart from some who ordered their game from Play.com. But that's another story... ®
COMMENTS
@Aortic Aneurysm
But it's legal for children as young as 5 to drink in private.
So if the supply of alcohol is for consumption on private premises then it is legal for an adult to buy it for a child/teenager
@RegisterFail... again
"No, it's an urban legend that a store can't sell to a guardian of a kid, if you think otherwise feel free to point out where in law this is actually outlined, because you wont find it."
Having worked in a Supermarket for 5 years, I can confirm that the cashier was right in refusing the sale. Had the Granny been on her own and trying to buy it, there is no reason to refuse her, but because the cashier seen the granny and child trying to buy a 18 rated, age restricted product, then she knows the game is for the child.
If she sells the game to the gran, its the same as selling alcohol to someone who is going to upply it to persons underage.
@ AC
Make more money? You think the extra development costs involved to make all the changes to keep your small user base happy are free?
Bother to check my facts? lol, Steam version was hacked days ago, possibly even release day actually..
Since when has Steam stopped anyone from pirating?
@RegisterFail
I was going toc omment how you were wrong, but I see it's been covered already
single player bashers
Turn it up to a proper level of difficulty you pussy! people finishing the single player campaign are on easy or modderate, notch it up to Hardened or Veteran and the game has a completely different pace, there is no *possible* way to play through on those settings, charging is not an option, and shots are all it takes to down you.
