Modern Warfare 2 is the biggest Call of Duty launch of all time
The first-person shooter launched on October 28 and has now set an enviable record
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: MW2 is a record breaker
😳 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is off to a blistering start
🤯 The game is now the fastest-selling Call of Duty game of all time
😲 It’s also attracted more players online than any other title in the series’ history
🔫 The game’s free-to-play battle royale mode Warzone 2.0 launches on November 16
Publisher Activision has announced that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the biggest Call of Duty launch of all time.
The game broke the previous five-day sales record of 2011’s Modern Warfare 3 in only three days of release, which is quite the feat.
Modern Warfare 2’s opening weekend also attracted more players than ever before in franchise history, and the accompanying free-to-play battle royale Warzone 2.0, which launches on November 16, is likely to balloon those numbers even further.
“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 CEO of Activision Blizzard Bobby Kotick in a statement on Business Wire.
“Thank you, Call of Duty players, for making Modern Warfare 2’s launch one for the record books as well as the highest-grossing entertainment opening of the year,” said Johanna Faries, general manager of Call of Duty. “It is our honor and privilege to deliver such a historic launch weekend for the best fans in the world.”
Faries promised that there’s “much more in store” for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 players to look forward to, including the upcoming Warzone 2.0.
So how successful has Modern Warfare 2 really been? Well, the game’s opening has surpassed the combined worldwide box office openings of Top Gun: Maverick and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The signs looked good for developer Infinity Ward after the game’s beta also broke new records, and it appears that those who played the game enjoyed it enough to purchase it.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for CoD, though. The game could be the subject of legal action from a Dutch hotel that’s depicted in the game, and the physical version of the game is nothing more than a glorified coaster.
The Call of Duty franchise has also been the subject of intense scrutiny when it comes to Microsoft’s pending deal to acquire publisher Activision Blizzard. Sony has strongly opposed the deal going through amid fears that Microsoft could make Call of Duty exclusive, something which Xbox’s Phil Spencer has denied.
However, Sony’s stance on exclusivity when it comes to Call of Duty is a bit rich. The company has ensured that PlayStation gamers get exclusive Call of Duty content for several years, and the same is true with Modern Warfare 2 which locks goodies to Sony’s console.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.