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[FrankT]

Black Ops sells over 18 million map packs in nine months
by Xav de Matos, Sep 01, 2011 12:30pm PDT

Related Topics – Call of Duty: Black Ops, xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Activision, Sales, PC, Call of Duty Series
During an analyst call today, Activision revealed that Call of Duty: Black Ops has sold over 23 million units since launching only nine months ago, which is slightly less than its previous statements. In its last investors call on August 3 call, the publisher noted the game had already achieved 25 million units since launching nine months ago.

In comparison, during the August 3 call, Activision said Modern Warfare 2 had sold 22 million units.


The continued sales growth of the Call of Duty franchise can be attributed to the popularity of the franchise and the growing install base of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as outlined in a slide from Activision's investor presentation.


Call of Duty growth potential based on hardware sales
Activision also revealed that the latest entry in the Call of Duty series has sold over 18 million map packs. Each pack, priced at $15 per release, has brought in roughly 270 million dollars. The 18 million units of DLC sold equal to 7 million more than Modern Warfare 2's premium releases and 9 million more than Treyarch's previous entry in the series, World at War.

Call of Duty fever continues this year with this weekend's Call of Duty XP event in Los Angeles, as well as the November release of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

http://www.shacknews.com/article/70005/black-ops-sells-over-18-million-map-packs-in-nine

So 23 or 25M for Black Ops then? Regardless crazy attach rate.

 

[KingDizzi]

Get a fuzzy feeling inside when COD games sell so well, they are the best FPS out there after all.

 

[MikeE21286]

Illegal amount of map packs I say.

 

[eternaLightness]

That's insane!

 

[KePoW]

If accurate and legit, those are some insane sales numbers.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

That's pretty insane but as for attach rate, weren't there 4 (or more I don't know) map packs? The people that bought the first may have bought the others as well.

Still crazy numbers.

 

[Scum]

All kinds of sales madness to ensue once Nov. comes around. O_O

 

[AiTM]

God

 

[Gravijah]

Get a fuzzy feeling inside when COD games sell so well, they are the best FPS out there after all.

if they weren't the best, no one would be buying them, know what i'm sayin'?

 

[Foliorum Viridum]

MW2 had pretty awesome map packs.

I hope MW3 has the same awesomeness.

 

[mysteriousmage09]

Everyone that bought this crap is the problem with this gen.

 

[Infinite Justice]

MW3 is gonna be interesting.

 

[test_account]

About 270 million dollars on map packs alone, for one game, damn! I wonder how much money Activision have made on the whole CoD serie.

 

[Dabanton]

Well deserved.

I've enjoyed them.

 

[Smokey]

Yeah Activision would be dumb not to do some type of true subscription model for COD.

Breakin bread all over Activision offices with the money this franchise brings in

 

[FrankT]

About 270 million dollars on map packs alone, for one game, damn!

Angry Birds who.....heh

 

[amrod]

that # could be double if they did 50% off dlc sale

 

[Snuggles]

Wow. Activision know how to hit the iron when it's hot, they could probably get away with another price bump, maybe $20 per pack.

 

[Jarmel]

In unrelated news, boycotts don't work. News at 11.

 

[shintoki]

So about 25% of all HD folks own COD.... on systems 5-6 years in.

 

[Glass Rebel]

if they weren't the best, no one would be buying them, know what i'm sayin'?

Yeah I mean, objectively and scientifically sales are the only indication of how good a game is.

 

[Complistic]

I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

 

[stuminus3]

I hope Bobby is happy peddling this shit to children.

You know how they priced their map packs so extortionately and everyone was like "well, that's what the market is willing to pay?"

Well, that's not actually what's happening. It's not the dudebros that are soaking this up in the millions. It's children. Young children, who need to get it because their friends all have it.

I'm sure Bobby knows it. Bobby doesn't care.

 

[MikeE21286]

Yeah Activision would be dumb not to do some type of true subscription model for COD.

Breakin bread all over Activision offices with the money this franchise brings in

It would seriously be the next WoW at this point. Probably bigger.

 

[djm]

Yeah Activision would be dumb not to do some type of true subscription model for COD.

Breakin bread all over Activision offices with the money this franchise brings in

I'm sure they've already thought of it and fleshed such a service out. From what I've read, Microsoft isn't really too keen on subscriptions on their service, so they'd want most of the cut. With that in mind, it might still be more money to just sell everything as individual packages.

 

[Moaradin]

Overpriced Map Packs are here to stay!

 

[Revolutionary]

Reading the thread title seriously made me sick to my stomach. Just wow.

 

[Wallach]

I hope Bobby is happy peddling this shit to children.

You know how they priced their map packs so extortionately and everyone was like "well, that's what the market is willing to pay?"

Well, that's not actually what's happening. It's not the dudebros that are soaking this up in the millions. It's children. Young children, who need to get it because their friends all have it.

I'm sure Bobby knows it. Bobby doesn't care.

lmao

 

[markot]

 

[KePoW]

Everyone that bought this crap is the problem with this gen.

In your opinion of course (I'm sure you realize that). Majority rules.

For the record though I really disliked Black Ops. However, I loved MW2.

 

[Auto_aim1]

Rise in install base for PS3/X360 benefits CoD. Lucky for Activision. I know they're gonna market the hell out of MW3, so it'll probably outsell Black Ops easily.

Well deserved though. I spent a lot of time playing these games.

 

[survivor]

I wonder how many unique users buy at least 1 map pack, 2, 3 and so on. Regardless these numbers are insane. They are probably making more revenue on these map packs alone than some games out there

 

[ultron87]

They made a game with fun modes that people enjoy and want to play on more maps. Can't fault them for that.

I wonder how many they would've sold if they'd been priced slightly more reasonably.

 

[mysteriousmage09]

In your opinion of course (I'm sure you realize that). Majority rules.

For the record though I really disliked Black Ops. However, I loved MW2.

Enjoy 20+ dollar map packs next gen.

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

Everyone that bought this crap is the problem with this gen.

Black Ops shipped with 14 maps at a price of $60. Each of the three regular map packs has added an additional three maps for $15 each, so had there been four multiplayer map packs it would have added nearly as many maps as the original game itself.

Also consider that each pack added an additional zombie level (with the excepetion of the fourth map pack which was solely dedicated to zombies). Seems like a good value proposition, sad to say.

 

[Version 3.0]

Everyone that bought this crap is the problem with this gen.

The hive mind mentality is a problem, but diversity isn't. Nothing wrong with people playing games I don't like. As long as Call of Duty isn't the only thing that sells - and it isn't - then it doesn't matter how big it is. Other games that I/you/we like better are still around.

Same goes for Angry Birds, Just Dance, Mario, Pokemon, or whatever else may be the latest chart-topping hit.

edit: Oh, you meant the DLC? Still disagree. I don't know first hand, but I'm under the impression it's not the cheapo, rip-off type, but a decent addition to an already fully self-contained, complete game.

 

[Orayn]

Thus ends the third quarter
By the treachery of Activison, the industry is lost
Fall begins, and great is the triumph of evil

 

[weeaboo]

I... I feel bad for gaming

 

[Dead Man Typing]

I was gonna type a big anti-DLC rant but I don't think I can phrase my opinions correctly right now.

 

[Jarmel]

Guess what I like COD multiplayer but I also like Deus Ex:HR, Mass Effect(1,2), Uncharted, Dead Space, No More Heroes, and Fallout 3. I'm also going through Persona 3 right now.

There's nothing wrong with liking COD.

 

[thetrin]

That is fucking depressing.

 

[Brian Fellows]

I bought 5 of them! Hopefully this results in more expensive DLC for all games.

 

[WrenchNinja]

I don't think it's possible for me to sigh loud enough.

 

[Sapphire Dreams]

Hey look at the bright side, 3 million out of the 21 million users didn't buy it ... I am not helping am I ?

 

[bluedeviltron]

And this is why I'll never take another competitive shooter seriously again.

 

[stuminus3]

Seems like a good value proposition, sad to say.

Yeah. Real good fucking value proposition right there. Take all my fucking money, Bobby. I have no other choice.

 

[TacticalFox88]

Holy shit. And I already promised myself to buy every MW3 Map pack. Goddamit Activision. b]=

 

[Flying_Phoenix]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Once CounterStrike: Global Offensive is released, it will overtake Call of Duty and once again be the number 1 multiplayer first person shooter.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

That is fucking depressing.

Yeah. Damn people for spending $60 for hundreds of hours of gameplay they like. Those people should be spending that money importing shitty games from Japan, or buying artbooks, or multiple copies of the same game so they can keep one and avoid the greatest hits packaging later, or any number of things gamers blow their money on regularly in the monthly pick-up thread.

 

[Orayn]

Yeah. Damn people for spending $60 for hundreds of hours of gameplay they like. Those people should be spending that money importing shitty games from Japan, or buying artbooks, or multiple copies of the same game so they can keep one and avoid the greatest hits packaging later, or any number of things gamers blow their money on regularly in the monthly pick-up thread.

Kettle, pot, black, etc.

People are looking at these sales numbers like they were for a Justin Bieber album or a Twilight movie, because that's what CoD has become for a portion of the gaming community.