Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 PS5 PlayStation 5 1

Want to know why regulators are wringing their hands so much over Call of Duty, and Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of it? Well, the latest entry – which already broke a PS Store record for the series – just raked in $800 million during its opening weekend. In terms of raw revenue, that’s more money than the worldwide box office openings of Top Gun Maverick and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness combined.

“Through only its first three days of release, Modern Warfare 2’s opening topped the previous five-day franchise record, set in 2011 by Modern Warfare 3 in sell-through, to become the biggest opening ever in Call of Duty,” a statement reads. “Players around the world took part in the new launch, setting new player participation franchise records for number of unique players and hours played through its first three days of premium release.”

Frankly, these are absolutely staggering numbers, which once again demonstrate the power and importance of the franchise. Xbox boss Phil Spencer reiterated his intent to continue releasing the series on PlayStation this week, but these dizzying numbers will certainly catch the eye of regulators, and probably help reinforce Sony’s overall argument that it’s impossible for anyone to develop a Call of Duty competitor in this day and age.

[source twitter.com]