Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is notable for having broken entertainment records, raking in over $1 billion in sales. The game has now sold over 20 million units worldwide and continues to have legs thanks to paid DLC. The blockbuster title set a very high watermark, but it's one that Activision is confident it can trump, despite the recent Infinity Ward controversy and the fact that the next game, Black Ops, is developed by Treyarch.
Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick has already indicated that Black Ops is receiving the biggest investment ever from Activision for a game launch, and now the publisher has said that they're expecting the game to set another huge record across entertainment.
Speaking with MCV, Call of Duty general manager for Europe Michaël Sportouch commented, "We’ve a fantastic game and a fantastic marketing campaign so our ambition is to set another record like we did with Modern Warfare 2. The resources invested behind Black Ops in terms of development of the game and the marketing are the highest ever for Activision. Our ambition is not only to be the biggest game but also the biggest entertainment launch of the year."
We'll be very curious to see whether Black Ops can pull off yet another sales record when it launches on November 9.
9 Comments
September 2, 2010
I'm not sensing the same intense "buzz" around Ops that there was for MW2. Although maybe I'm just out of touch :P
September 2, 2010
I think you'll start feeling that buzz as Activision really ramps up its marketing in the next couple months leading up to launch.
September 2, 2010
Black Ops will do well I'm sure, but reaching the levels of MW2 would be very tough. Not impossible, but it will really depend on whether people warm to the retro setting.
September 3, 2010
Since Treyarch uses everythin IW invents, it should be impossible NOT to make a billion dollars.
September 3, 2010
Treyartch's cod never reach the levels of IW's cod. We'll see what happens. If after everything that's been said and gamers still support this game I say, Activision, go full speed to the monthly charges.
September 3, 2010
The first trailers were pretty impressive, so they may have a shot if they do a similar tv campaign as last year. That NFL spot was pretty memorable. Who is their agency on this?
September 3, 2010
Most people that buy Call of Duty probably aren't aware that the development team is any different from year to year. Most are probably sadly unaware of the labor issues at IW, and any suggestion that they be morally outraged would probably prompt curious expressions. Some gamers were angry over decisions made for MW2 (mostly PC gamers) and that didn't prevent the game from setting new records for success.
Point is, the market for Call of Duty, any Call of Duty, is pretty big at this point and I think it will come down to whether the setting, the buzz, the story and the multiplayer manage to match that of MW2; it'll do well regardless but its being held to the highest of standards.
September 3, 2010
The reason why it has an initial chance to sell big is because they are launching it on the Wii as well as all the other platforms. They didn't do that for Modern Warfare 1(it later got released in a remade version) or MW2. So it's definitely going to do big business this holiday season but it still most likely won't surpass MW2.
September 6, 2010
That's a good point, The 1 2 P. Wii sales of Call of Duty aren't as high as for Xbox 360 and PS3, but it might be enough to help it keep pace.