‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’ Busts Sales Records

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 destroys more than buildings and players' social lives -- it is also blowing through a few sales records.

The game sold more than 6.5 million units in the first 24 hours of sales in the U.S and U.K. markets. That amounts to more than $400 million in sales, making the game's release the biggest launch in entertainment history. However, it is not a surprise, as the game had about 9 million preorders.

The only other entities to come close to those kinds of numbers are Activision's other Call of Duty launches, with Black Ops selling $360 million on the first day and Modern Warfare 2 making $310 million in one-day sales. The Call of Duty franchise has proven to be a gaming juggernaut with Black Ops selling more than 24 million copies since it was released Nov. 9 of last year, according to VGChartz.

Electronic Arts' Battlefield 3 was the previous best-selling video game for the year, moving more than 5 million games in the first week. But it seems as though Call of Duty has rocketed past that mark and shows no signs of slowing down as we enter the holiday season.

Though publisher Activision Blizzard's popular cash-cow World of Warcraft has been losing subscribers, the company has posted profits that defy analysts' predictions. In the third quarter the company reported $627 million in non-GAAP sales and profits of $148 million, more than triple the expected $51 million. No doubt Call of Duty will bolster these products along with the company's upcoming and highly-anticipated title Diablo III.

As a result, we expect to deliver another year of profitable growth, CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. I believe our unyielding commitment to excellence and our creative talent around the globe will continue to position Activision Blizzard as the leader in interactive entertainment.