According to iconic record-keeping organization Guinness World Records, Infinity Ward-developed
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is indeed the "most successful entertainment launch of all time," as its publisher Activision
promised it would be.
The game, whose sales surpassed $401 million in the first 24 hours of release, was the fastest-selling entertainment product day-one, says Guinness, which had previously held
Grand Theft Auto IV as the record-holder.
GTA IV grossed $310 million in its first day on sale, itself breaking the $170 million day-one record held by
Halo 3.
By "entertainment product," Guinness means a category in which it also includes book, film and record sales, which naturally have a much lower retail price point than today's video game software releases, thus the comparison is imperfect. However, the record-keeper did verify the day-one revenue for the game and confirm it surpassed any other game product.
"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."
Infinity Ward's Robert Bowling said of the acknowledgment: "
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 honor to be recognized by setting a new standard among all entertainment properties."
