U.S., UK Modern Warfare 2 Launch Sales Hit 4.7 Million Units

Activision promised the biggest entertainment launch in history, and according to the publisher's numbers, that's what it did: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has racked up $310 million in sales in North America and the UK in its first 24 hours, the company says. That's 4.7 million copies, the company estimates -- more than Cowen Group analyst Doug Creutz had expected for the entire month of November. "We believe U.S. sales likely will amount to 55 percent of the worldwide total, implying a first day worldwide estimate of roughly 7 million," he says. "The Call of Duty franchise has become a cultural phenomenon showing the power of video games as an entertainment medium," says Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith. Yesterday, UK's Chart-Track and the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association said the game had sold 1.23 million day-one copies in the UK, grossing $77.85 million and doubling the previous game launch record set by Grand Theft Auto IV. "The shattering of these entertainment records is a testament to the compelling, cinematic and uniquely engaging experience that the Call of Duty brand delivers," adds Griffith. "Modern Warfare 2 has taken interactive experience to unprecedented heights setting a new standard for entertainment."