Skip to main content

Cataclysm sells record-breaking 3.3 million in 24 hours

Warcraft's old world might have come to an end, but the new one is already paying off big time.
Activision-Blizzard has announced that the recent world-changing Cataclysm expansion sold an astonishing 3.3 million copies in its first day of availability, making it the fastest-selling PC game of all time. The previous record-holder? That would be the second World of Warcraft expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, which sold a 'meager' 2.8 million copies over the course of its launch day back in 2008.
The 3.3 million mark includes both retail copies of the game and digital sales, though Blizzard didn't break it down any further. Over 10,000 retail stores worldwide helped the role-playing behemoth achieve the mark by holding midnight launch events, however, so it's safe to assume a hefty helping came in good old-fashioned boxes.
Check out the behind the scenes of the Cataclysm launch
The news is icing on the cake for a monster year for Blizzard; back in July, the company dominated sales with the heavily anticipated release of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty [Buy | Search]. But it seems nothing compares to Warcraft. According to Bob McKenzie, senior VP of merchandising at GameStop, Cataclysm "delivered even bigger day-one sales than we experienced with StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty." (That title sold 1.5 million in two days.)
With a subscriber base of over 12 million players, World of Warcraft remains largely unrivaled in the massively-multiplayer online gaming space, though several 2011 titles are gunning for its crown. Sony Online's comic-book themed DC Universe Online will have the first crack, followed by the mid-year release of Star Wars: The Old Republic, an online outing created by rival role-playing developer Ironware in conjunction with LucasArts.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Payroll tax cut worries Social Security advocates

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's plan to cut payroll taxes for a year would provide big savings for many workers, but makes Social Security advocates nervous that it could jeopardize the retirement program's finances. The plan is part of a package of tax cuts and extended unemployment benefits that Obama negotiated with Senate Republican leaders. It would cut workers' share of Social Security taxes by nearly one-third for 2011. Workers making $50,000 in wages would get a $1,000 tax cut; those making $100,000 would get a $2,000 tax cut. The government would borrow about $112 billion to make Social Security whole. Advocates and some lawmakers worry that relying on borrowed money to fund Social Security could eventually force it to compete with other federal programs for scarce dollars, leading to cuts. Social Security taxes "ought to be held sacrosanct," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., chairman of the House Ways and Means subco...

Blake Griffin with his head at the rim

After knocking himself out of the 2009-10 season after hurting his knee during a dunk attempt, it's still OK to cringe a bit every time you see Blake Griffin (notes) readying a launch. And apparently, now we have to worry about his head knocking the rim just as much as his knees handling the descent. It speaks to the level of credibility that the Dunk Contest owns these days that when word hit Wednesday that Blake Griffin was open to the idea of entering the NBA's annual stuffing show, we were actually more concerned than excited. Would Griffin, clearly the master of the in-game dunk just two months into his NBA career, be able to in any way match his prowess in an exhibition setting? Was there a risk of him needlessly hurting himself in the process? About 11 minutes into Wednesday's Rockets/Clippers matchup, the worries became outright fears. Because Blake went and did this. That's a 6-9 guy jumping off a surgically repaired kneecap with his head at th...

New Dishes for this Week

MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli TUESDAY Chicken Alfredo and Rice Casserole WEDNESDAY Slow-Cooker Flemish Beef Stew THURSDAY Vegetarian Chili FRIDAY Slow-Cooked Chicken with Sourdough-Mushroom Stuffing SATURDAY Easy Marinated Pork Tenderloin SUNDAY Lamb Chops with Red Onion, Grape Tomatoes, and Feta (...AND sign up for Yahoo! Shine's weekly recipe newsletter) MONDAY Stroganoff-Style Beef with Broccoli Provided by Better Homes and Gardens For more stroganoff recipes, try these delicious dishes. Here is a dinner idea that can be ready in 30 minutes. If you are a fan of beef and broccoli, this is a recipe you must try. Serve it on top of cooked wide noodles and enjoy. Share this recipe with friends who also have busy schedules and are looking for a quick and delicious main dish...