Call of Duty is Dying: Sales down 50% year-over-year, MW3 to sell lower than BO

For anyone seeking holes in Activision's seemingly bulletproof Call of Duty franchise, there was a chink in the armour exposed in NPD US January sales figures released late on Thursday. Sales fell nearly 50 per cent year-on-year for the world's best-selling video game in 2011 – that's comparing the performance of the latest in the franchise – Modern Warfare 3 – with its predecessor, Black Ops.

The numbers are surprising because MW3 eclipsed Black Ops sales on its initial release. Activision reported $775m in global sales of the game in its first five days of availability in November – exceeding the record of $650m set a year before by Black Ops and $550m two years ago for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

But while console sales for MW2 were 658,000 units in January 2010 and Black Ops sold 750,000 units a year ago, MW3 sold only 386,000 units in the US last month.

"As a result, MW3 sales to date are now essentially flat versus Black Ops last year," said Cowen and Company analysts in a note. "We now expect MW3 to sell through slightly fewer units than Black Ops across its lifetime."

http://blogs.ft.com/fttechhub/2012/02/call-of-duty-takes-big-january-hit/#axzz1mB6fgIbp
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=462606

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I hope Activision learns their lesson. When CoD dies out next gen, we can put it in the same c!ass as Guitar Hero.

To improve they need dedicated servers for consoles, much bigger maps with more players, improve graphics and 50+ killstreaks with more than 1 nuke like streaks. do it! activision!

Activision deserves it.

well that might have something to do with MW3 sucking. black ops is infinitely better...

It's only slightly less. TBH, I've only heard disappointment from Modern Warfare fans about MW3. My friend said he like Blops more.

DLC

I would hardly call that dying.

I would say the sales are finally slowing down because A) people are getting sick of the same thing over and over and B) there is much stiffer competition with BF3.

bf3 came out, even though it didn't sell as call of duty did it was still a huge rival and probably stole some of call of duty fans. Also MW3 still made a billion dollars, i don't think activision cares if sells drop a bit

I would hardly call that dying.

I would say the sales are finally slowing down because A) people are getting sick of the same thing over and over and B) there is much stiffer competition with BF3.

Wasdie

Black Ops was better. MW3 was a step back and the music isnt as cool.

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

I would hardly call that dying.

I would say the sales are finally slowing down because A) people are getting sick of the same thing over and over and B) there is much stiffer competition with BF3.

free_milk

It doesn't suck, you're just a blind fanboy who can't see a quality shooter. Sorry that you need killstreaks, perks, and ridiculously overpowered weaponry in maps the size of the average living room to have fun.

That's because people like me that who were foolish to buy MW3 begged friends not to make the same mistake lol.

This is not good. Because essentially:

CoD = Gaming

I'll let you work out the rest.

Good, hope the trend continues. Heil68

To improve they need dedicated servers for consoles, much bigger maps with more players, improve graphics and 50+ killstreaks with more than 1 nuke like streaks. do it! activision!

finalstar2007

Darn, it sold a crap ton and broke records, but it won't break all the records? Yeah its really dying.

The series is as close to death as an athletic fitness enthusiast 22 year old at this point, so we know the end is near.

Seems if true we've passed the climax of where the franchise has peaked and starting to fall into a rut of being too much of the same every year for some folks, and the fact CoD had some stiff competition this year from Battlefield could be a contributing factor aswell.

Their lesson = they will make slightly less year on year?

Not much of a lesson really. The amount of money is astronomical anyway.

The end is near BAHAHAHAH!!

...aaaaaand here are the fanboys.

"i don't like it so i hope it dies!!!!!"

lames.

They'll make sure that doesn't happen again this year.

Excellent ... Excellent. My plan is working.

That's because people like me that who were foolish to buy MW3 begged friends not to make the same mistake lol.

Grawse

And with the disappointment that is MW3, there are going to be less people buying the next one so that's a further reduction in sales.Eponique

Yeah but didn't it break the holiday COD record? Fact is more people already have MW3 so less to buy the next year.SaltyMeatballs

As long as they keep making them it's fine by me.

Well the franchise had to peak sometime. And even so, it's still far from dying. I don't want to see the franchise die, but would definitely like to see more deserving games get the popularity COD has received over the past several years.

To improve they need dedicated servers for consoles, much bigger maps with more players, improve graphics and 50+ killstreaks with more than 1 nuke like streaks. do it! activision!

finalstar2007

Chinks in the Armor are starting to show

didnt mw3 sell better than blops on release.. surely they can work out why they would be down in the coming months.

Good, hope the trend continues. Heil68

But they're SUPERB games :o

MW3 was GREAT, even GREATer than TWISTED METAL :o

We all know its because of the economic crisis

Even though i dont like the CoD games, i really like the cold war spy vibe of Black Ops.

[QUOTE="free_milk"]

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

I would hardly call that dying.

I would say the sales are finally slowing down because A) people are getting sick of the same thing over and over and B) there is much stiffer competition with BF3.

Wasdie

It doesn't suck, you're just a blind fanboy who can't see a quality shooter. Sorry that you need killstreaks, perks, and ridiculously overpowered weaponry in maps the size of the average living room to have fun.

Black OPS sold a sh!t ton correct?

So MW3 will sell slightly less of a sh!t ton than Black OPS.

Dying.. yeah.

most of the people who got black ops got it for zombies.

No zomobies means no sales

[QUOTE="free_milk"]

[QUOTE="Wasdie"]

I would hardly call that dying.

I would say the sales are finally slowing down because A) people are getting sick of the same thing over and over and B) there is much stiffer competition with BF3.

Wasdie

It doesn't suck, you're just a blind fanboy who can't see a quality shooter. Sorry that you need killstreaks, perks, and ridiculously overpowered weaponry in maps the size of the average living room to have fun.

Why are you sorry? So someone elses fun is to be pitied if you don't agree? Strange viewpoint. BF3 is good, but appeals to different tastes.