Modern Warfare 2 Smashes Sales Records

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 blasted past $US300 million in sales on its opening day, blowing away even Hollywood films to become the highest-grossing entertainment launch ever.

MW2 sold 4.7 million copies and racked up $US310 million in sales in the United States and Britain alone when the eagerly-anticipated title from Infinity Ward made its worldwide debut on Tuesday.

The videogame even bested Batman film The Dark Knight, which holds the record for the top opening weekend ever by taking in $US158.4 million in July 2008.

"The Call of Duty franchise has become a cultural phenomenon showing the power of videogames as an entertainment medium," said publisher Activision's chief executive Mike Griffith.

MW2 is the sixth title in the Call Of Duty franchise, which has won a devoted following since the first version was released in 2003.

Reviewers have praised MW2 for its game play options and vivid graphics.

Players can fight alone or one another, whether they are using the same console or in separate locations and connected via the internet.

"Fire it up on a new LCD or plasma HDTV and it's all but guaranteed to make the neighbours' jaws drop," said Scott Steinberg of videogame and gadget website Digital Trends.

"It's designed to be as much of a breathlessly cinematic experience as simple run-n-gun outing," he added.

In Australia, the game is rated for people aged 15 or older and it has stirred a bit of controversy for depicting realistically brutal terrorist encounters.

Players join a global military task force taking on ultranationalist Russian terrorists in order to save the world. Settings include Russia, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Brazil.

News-Source: www.abc.net.au