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Gears Of War Clears 2 Mln Mark

Microsoft and Epic Games announced today that the Xbox 360-exclusive game Gears of War has now sold more than 2 million copies, making it the fastest-selling next-generation console game of 2006, and the fastest-selling Xbox-exclusive game to date.

“We’ve always held high hopes for Gears of War, but we never expected such an overwhelmingly positive response from critics and gamers all over the world,” said Epic Games president Michael Capps in a release. “I can’t describe how stoked our team is right now. Our fans can absolutely count on Epic to keep delivering new gameplay through Xbox Live.”

According to the companies, more than 1 million unique gamer have participated in more than 10 million online playing sessions since the title’s launch, making it the top title in the Xbox Live online gaming service. Microsoft says daily paid registrations for Xbox Live have jumped more than 50 percent since Gears of War hit the streets. More than one million copies have been sold in the U.S. market.

Gears of War launched on November 7, 2006, and sold one million copies by November 22.

Gears of War clearly has won the battle for the title of the must-have game of the year,” said Jeff Bell, Microsoft’s corporate VP global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business. “Its phenomenal success is one of many reasons why Xbox 360 is the ultimate place to get together with friends to play this holiday.”

(So, Jeff, being a “pop culture phenomenon” is an honor reserved for Microsoft’s in-house titles?)

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Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
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