Skip to main content

Modern Warfare 2 Sales Pass $1 Billion Mark

There are few video game titles that can claim to have rung up more than $1 billion in sales, and now that short list has a new entry: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. According to publisher Activision, Modern Warfare 2 has now crossed the $1 billion threshold in retail sales since its launch in November 2009.

call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

“Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has exceeded our expectations and shattered theatrical box office and video game records,” said Activision Blizzard CEO Robert Kotick, in a statement. “There are only a handful of entertainment properties that have ever reached the $1 billion mark, which illustrates the power of the Call of Duty franchise and mass appeal of this game.”

Thanks to heavy pre-orders, the game also raked in $550 million in its first week of release, which actually put it ahead of earnings from box office blockbusters like The Dark Knight and, yes, even Avatar. However, when comparing dollar figures it’s important to note that a single copy of a video game is prices three to eight times higher than a typical movie ticket.

In addition to mountains of cash, Modern Warfare 2 also generated a good deal of controversy due to its violence, as well as a segment in which players participate in a massacre of civilians at an airport.

Editors' Recommendations

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…
How to fix packet burst in Modern Warfare 3
A soldier shields themself from an underwater explosion.

The last thing anyone wants to see when booting up a game like Modern Warfare 3 to head online with your friends is to be stopped by an error. Online games are susceptible to all types of problems beyond the player's control, leading to plenty of frustration and disappointment in a possibly ruined experience. While there are more substantial issues that can completely prevent you from playing, seeing the packet burst issue is almost worse because, while it does let you play, you will experience a ton of lag that makes the game essentially unplayable. If you've been struck by a packet burst error in Modern Warfare 3, here are some possible solutions so you can get back to fragging.
How to fix packet burst errors

If you spot a symbol of three squares on the left of your screen while playing Modern Warfare 3, it means you're suffering from a packet burst. This is essentially an error where something is messed up in the communication between your system and the game's servers, resulting in terrible performance. While it could be simply an issue on the server side and not related to you at all, which you can check by looking at the Modern Warfare 3 server status here, there are a few things you can do to potentially fix the issue on your end.

Read more
Modern Warfare 3 Zombies: Mercenary Convoy guide
Soldiers in a car driving and shooting zombies.

The old format of Zombies has been left behind in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in favor of a more open-world, objective-based take on the undead survival game type. This time, you will squad up and drop into a map with specific objectives you can choose to complete to earn tons of XP, while also pushing the narrative forward and unlocking new, more difficult tasks to take on. The early-tier missions are generally very simple, but in Act 1, you will be given the objective to find and destroy a Mercenary Convoy somewhere on the map. This sounds easy enough on paper until you realize you have no idea where this convey is or how to find it. Every run in Zombies risks losing all your hard-earned progress, so we'll lead you to the Mercenary Convoy to take it out before the zombies even know you were there.
How to find the Mercenary Convoy

Your first challenge will be to find this Mercenary Convoy. The problem here is twofold: first is that it isn't marked on your map in any way, and second is that, being a convoy, it is mobile. Once you land, you and your team should find the nearest vehicle and head toward the center of the map. Depending on how the threat levels are on your particular map, you are looking for roads and highways that are around the medium-threat level zone. You will have to patrol these roads until you come across the convoy, which only consists of three vehicles. Once you are in range, it does appear on your map to let you know you've found it.

Read more
How to play split screen in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Soldiers battle in an abandoned airport.

If you're excited at the prospect of playing split screen in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, we've got good news: You can! Even better news is that it's a straightforward and easy task to accomplish. All you'll need to ensure is that you have two controllers and that both usernames have been linked to their own Activision accounts. Once you've scored both controllers and gotten your accounts squared away, though, you'll only need to follow a few simple steps to start playing together.

Read more