Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 had a huge November, selling more than 6 million units for the month. But in a recent interview with G4TV, Microsoft Xbox 360 Product Manager Aaron Greenberg said that it would have been a much different month without Infinity Ward's blockbuster hit.
"November without Modern Warfare 2 would have looked very different," Greenberg told G4TV, responding to a question about what the month would have been like.
But just how different is up for debate. Modern Warfare 2 was a major hit. It was a title that doesn't come along very often and it likely helped the game industry buoy its sales figures for the month. Greenberg agrees.
"There's titles that appeal within the inner circle of the core, but this is that title everyone that owns a video game console buys," he said in the interview. "If they buy two games a year, this was one of those games."
Greenberg went on to say that without Modern Warfare 2, "software numbers would have looked dramatically different, I don't think that people would have spent that money on another game."
Microsoft's product manager went so far as to say that Modern Warfare 2 stopped people from buying other tech gadgets.
"I think people actually said 'I'm choosing to buy Modern Warfare 2 instead of buying an iPod or instead of going to a movie or instead of doing something else. This is going to deliver its entertainment value for me.'"
Consumers bought far more Xbox 360 versions of the game (4.2 million) than PlayStation 3 versions (1.8 million). Without that help, Greenberg asserted that Xbox 360 software sales would have slipped. But he also believed that the company would have sold less hardware.
"My guess is we would have probably sold less consoles, too, to be honest," he told G4TV. "I think it was that kind of blockbuster, just like a new blockbuster movie--it's an event, people knew about it."
Greenberg's points were interesting, to say the least. I've always said that software sells hardware. And so far, that has likely helped the Xbox 360 stay ahead of the PlayStation 3. But with few blockbuster titles on the horizon, how will that affect sales going forward?
For now, we don't know. But we can speculate about a November without Modern Warfare 2. Would it have been as huge? Let us know in the comments below.
Although everyone knows that Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is a major hit, I'm not quite convinced that the impact it has had on the video game industry has been felt quite yet. Perhaps that will change with the expected release Thursday of NPD's gaming sales figures.
According to market-analyst Evan Wilson from Pacific Crest, November video game software sales should come in at about $1.45 billion. Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter said he expected November sales to be a bit higher, tallying $1.55 billion in sales.
But it was Modern Warfare 2 that captured the spotlight of both analysts' predictions for November game sales. Wilson said the game's developer Infinity Ward likely sold 5 million units in the U.S. alone during November. Pachter expected NPD to report 6 million units were sold during the month.
Pachter went on to say in his report that Modern Warfare 2 would make up a whopping 22 percent of the industry's video game sales for November. He expects it to be followed by Super Mario Bros. Wii, Assassins Creed II, and Left 4 Dead 2, in a distant second-, third-, and fourth-place, respectively.
Wilson was a little more optimistic about the importance of Modern Warfare 2 to the industry's sales figures. He said that he expects the new Call of Duty game to make up 25 percent of all sales during the month.
"Modern Warfare 2 comprises an estimated 25 percent of this month's industry sales," Wilson wrote. "While this is not out of the ordinary for a tent-pole title in a non-holiday month, it is impressive given our forecast that this November's sales will match the month's highest historical total on record. For comparison, Halo 2 reached 20 percent of industry sales in November 2004. The next highest share taker was Guitar Hero III at 12 percent in November 2007."
That's some awfully nice company to be in for any game. And if the analysts' estimates are correct, it could be a record-breaking month for one of 2009's biggest releases.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is enjoying big success.
(Credit: Infinity Ward)If you think Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has had a major impact on just the video game industry, you may need to adjust your expectations.
According to Activision Blizzard, the game's publisher, Modern Warfare 2 has set records across the entire entertainment industry.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the "biggest entertainment launch in history," Activision said in a statement. In its first five days of availability, the game set a worldwide record with about $550 million in sales, according to internal Activision figures. It's impressive. But more impressive is the list of launches that it beat out.
In the first five days of availability, Modern Warfare 2 has eclipsed the largest worldwide box-office opening, held by "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," which tallied $394 million over its first five days. It also beat "The Dark Knight," which holds the U.S. box-office record with $203.8 million in first five-day sales.
The game also narrowly trumped Grand Theft Auto IV, which captured $500 million in sales in its first five days of availability.
In other words, Modern Warfare 2 has had a major release.
The game's success also translated to major numbers on Xbox Live. Activision reported that "more than 5.2 million multiplayer hours were logged playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on the first day alone." On November 10, 2.2 million unique gamers played on Xbox Live, setting a new one-day record for the online-gaming platform.
Of course, it should be noted that all these figures come from Activision's internal estimates, which might differ from the NPD Group's official totals when it announces November video-game sales.
But until then, Activision can (rightfully so) celebrate Modern Warfare 2's success. And maybe the video-game industry, which has always received second billing to film in the entertainment space, can finally stake its claim to the top spot. Video games are, based on Modern Warfare 2's success, just as viable an entertainment platform as movies.
The Wii is coming to...Sports Authority?
(Credit: Nintendo)You might be used to buying your video game consoles only at an electronics store, but all that will soon change. National sports retailer Sports Authority announced Tuesday that it will start selling the Nintendo Wii and Wii Fit Plus in its stores.
Aside from being able to pick up a Wii and Wii Fit Plus, consumers will also find Sports Authority stores that boast a Wii "interactive fitness experience." The section of the store will have "knowledgeable fitness trainers allowing customers to try Wii and Wii Fit Plus before they buy."
While it's certainly interesting to see a Wii being used by a fitness instructor in a sports store, Sports Authority said it believes that it will help set it apart in the marketplace. According to the company, users will now be able to "satisfy their fitness- and sports-gaming needs under one roof."
But just how much of a benefit Wii Fit actually affords its users is up for debate. Sports Authority might claim that it helps users "achieve better health," but a recent study (PDF) from the American Council on Exercise found that the game offers a "very, very mild workout."
That could throw a wrench in Sports Authority's plans as it attempts to make the case that the Wii and the Wii Fit Plus make sense next to other products designed specifically to improve the health of its users. As appealing as it might be to some, Nintendo's game might not be able to stand up against fitness-focused products.
Regardless, Sports Authority has thrown its support behind Nintendo's console. The Wii and the Wii Fit Plus will be available in 102 stores starting on Thursday. It will be rolled out to remaining company stores by spring 2010.
The Wii isn't living up to its expectations.
(Credit: Nintendo)Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello didn't pull any punches when he spoke at a quarterly earnings call earlier this week. As he discussed some of the issues his company faces in today's gaming market, he singled out Nintendo and its Wii as contributing factors.
According to Riccitiello, third-party games on the Wii just aren't performing nearly as well as EA had expected. And as the Wii's sales start to slip, it doesn't seem likely that that will be changing anytime soon.
"To be honest with you, I think the Wii platform has been a little weaker than we had certainly anticipated," Riccitiello said, according to a transcript of the call published by Seeking Alpha on Monday. "And there is no lack of frustration (about this coming out) at precisely the time where we have the strongest third-party share."
But Riccitiello didn't stop there. He said EA is "reaching out to Nintendo to find ways to partner to push third-party software harder." He contended that in order for the Wii to perform up to Nintendo's own expectations, the platform needs help from third parties.
Riccitiello continued on that theme. He said his company is providing high-quality titles for the Wii, but it's Nintendo that needs to do more.
"Wii is where we are missing it," Riccitiello said on the call. "And so I really do think that the opportunity exists to find different ways to partner with (Nintendo) in this case, to sort of help establish in the minds of the consumer legitimacy of some of these other brands, when they are going out multiplatform."
But it was Riccitiello's next statement that might send the most shockwaves through the Nintendo world. The EA chief said "very, very few multiplatform titles are succeeding on the Wii so far, and collectively, Electronic Arts and Nintendo need to tackle that."
Perhaps now the question is, then, how will those two major forces in the gaming industry achieve what Riccitiello wants? Nintendo's platform has enjoyed strong sales since its debut, but the Wii is slipping. Worst of all, during the most successful periods for Nintendo, it was first-party titles, not third-party games that performed best at retail. Whether Nintendo can help change that, making it more profitable for third parties to develop games for the Wii, is very much in doubt.
What do you think? Is Nintendo really in bad shape? Is Riccitiello overstating the Wii's shortcomings? Let us know in the comments below.
In the public preview of the upcoming Xbox Live update that features access to Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm, users under the age of 18 aren't allowed to access the aforementioned social networks. Unfortunately for those users, that will still be the case when the software launches on all Xbox 360s later this year.
According to Microsoft spokesperson Major Nelson in a blog post, Microsoft made the decision to limit access to Twitter, Facebook, and Last.fm to those 18 and older because parents won't have the ability "to use Family Settings to customize which of these applications their children can access." Microsoft is also concerned with keeping the Xbox Live environment "age-appropriate."
Realizing it will be a hot-button issue for many Xbox Live users, Major Nelson was quick to point out that it wouldn't be a lasting solution. Microsoft, he said, is working on "an update that gives parents the choice of which social applications their children can access." According to Nelson, after the update is released, children between the ages of 13 and 17 will be able to access the social networks after obtaining parental approval.
So far, Microsoft has not said when the Xbox Live update will finally launch (Nelson said "soon"). The update that gives parents control over access to those social networks will be released "several weeks" after the launch of the Xbox Live update.
Let's hear from you. Do you think Microsoft should limit child access to social networks? Let us know in the comments below.
Wal-Mart deals are heating up for Saturday.
(Credit: Wal-Mart)Not content to wait until Black Friday, Wal-Mart announced Wednesday that it will deliver some great deals on assorted tech products this weekend.
Customers shopping in-store on Saturday will find several deals. The company said it will sell the 46-inch Panasonic TC-P46U1 1080p plasma HDTV for $788 that day. It also plans to sell the 42-inch Sharp LC-42SB45U 1080p LCD for just $498.
Besides that, Wal-Mart plans to sell a 15.6-inch HP notebook for $298, a Sony Blu-ray player for $148, and a Magnavox upconverting DVD player for $29.
But it might be the offer on the Xbox 360 Arcade that will attract the most attention. According to Wal-Mart, it will sell the Xbox 360 Arcade for its standard price of $199, but include a $100 Wal-Mart gift card with that purchase. That can cover almost the entire cost of an additional controller and a single game. It can also cut a big chunk out of the cost of a hard drive add-on for the console, if consumers decide to go that route.
Although all these deals will only be offered on Saturday in Wal-Mart stores, it should be noted that many of these deals are available now on Wal-Mart's Web site. That said, beware that the Xbox 360 Arcade offer is already sold out online. Anyone looking to capitalize on it will need to do so in a local store.
Wal-Mart's in-store special offers start at 8 a.m. local time on Saturday. It should be interesting to see if Amazon and other online retailers match Wal-Mart's offer at that time. We'll update this space if they do.
The hype surrounding Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 keeps heating up.
After Gamestop announced last week a $40 trade credit for those who preorder the game and bring it back to a Gamestop store by December 13, Amazon.com has launched a competition, dubbed "The Call of Duty-est Town in America." The contest is seeking the town or city with the most preorders of Modern Warfare 2.
According to Amazon, any town or city with a population of 5,000 or more can compete. It determined population size using the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data.
Whenever a person preorders Modern Warfare 2 from Amazon, the location is tallied. The goal for each location is to have the highest percentage of preorders. Realizing that population plays a role in those figures, the number of orders doesn't factor into the competition.
Amazon said on its contest page that it will give a $5,000 gift certificate to a charity that serves the winning town. If the competition had ended at the time of this writing, the winner would be Grand Forks, N.D.
The page also features some interesting information about those preorders. As of this writing, the Xbox 360 version of the game accounted for 61 percent of Amazon preorders. The PlayStation 3 and the PC versions captured 31 percent and 8 percent of the preorders, respectively.
"The Call of Duty-est Town in America" competition ends on the game's release day, November 10. The winning town will be announced that day.
Get ready to pay $20 for this game.
(Credit: Inifinity Ward)Gamers looking to get their hands on Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 will have the opportunity to preorder the title and pay a net price of $20 if they follow basic guidelines announced recently by retailer Gamestop.
According to the company, anyone who preorders the game from Gamestop.com will have it when it hits store shelves on November 10. If those customers trade in the game by December 13, Gamestop will give them a $40 in-store credit.
Considering Modern Warfare 2 costs $60, that means that those who trade in the title will pay just $20 to play it. It's not a bad deal for frequent gamers who play through a game once and never play it again.
The $40 credit is also available to those who purchase the $80 Modern Warfare 2 Hardened Edition.
Of course, there are some rules that govern the deal. The $40 credit will only be offered for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game. And after December 13, Gamestop's $40 offer will expire.
Gamestop's decision to offer customers the opportunity to pay an effective price of $20 for the game is an interesting one. Modern Warfare 2 is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated games of the year, and having an ample supply of pre-played titles is important to Gamestop's bottom line.
But it's putting a lot of hope in gamer willingness to return Modern Warfare 2.
Call of Duty 4 is still one of the most-played multiplayer games. Modern Warfare 2 will likely follow suit. Realizing that, will gamers want to part with what could be the best multiplayer first-person shooter release this year? Let us know in the comments below.
This is nothing more than a huge rumor at this point, but gaming-industry site Superannuation is reporting that it has found a resume posted by a video game animator claiming to have worked on an unannounced GoldenEye 007 game for the Nintendo Wii.
Remember this level in GoldenEye 007?
(Credit: Screenshot by GameSpot)According to the report, the animator worked for Eurocom Entertainment Software, a company that has worked on several versions of James Bond titles, including Quantum of Solace and James Bond 007: Nightfire, between July and September.
The job listing said the person worked on "GoldenEye 2010 (Wii)." According to Destructoid, which also viewed the resume, the job description read, "Animator on Activision's James Bond series for the Nintendo Wii assisting in: Key frame animation, the preparation and clean-up of motion capture data, prop animation, in-game cut-scene animation, scene layout, and camera animation."
The resume was eventually pulled down from the site from which Superannuation accessed it.
Since its release in 1997, the iconic GoldenEye 007 has been the subject of several rumors claiming that a follow-up was on the way. But after Microsoft acquired Rare, the game's developer, in 2002, and Activision acquired the James Bond game rights in 2006, several licensing roadblocks were erected, limiting the chances of such a release.
Neither Activision nor Nintendo immediately responded to request for comment.
Considering that Nintendo and Activision are mum on a possible GoldenEye release for the Wii, it might be safer to assume that those roadblocks are still in place. But that doesn't mean that there aren't discussions going on behind the scenes to pave the way for the GoldenEye release. At this point, we just don't know.
So, let's hear from you. Do you think that this is the smoking gun for which GoldenEye fans have been waiting? Will GoldenEye 007 come to the Wii next year? Let us know in the comments below.
