'Modern Warfare 3' breaks entertainment biz records

For the third year in a row, the "Call of Duty" video game franchise has set entertainment industry records, once again claiming the crown for the biggest product launch of all time. Activision reports "Modern Warfare 3" sold 6.5 million copies in the U.S. and U.K. in its first 24 hours on shelves, earning $400 million. That tops last year's $360 million haul from the series' "Black Ops" installment and the $310 million earned by 2009's "Modern Warfare 2." "We believe the launch of 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3' is the biggest entertainment launch of all time in any medium, and we achieved this record with sales from only two territories," said Bobby Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard. "Other than 'Call of Duty,' there has never been another entertainment franchise that has set opening-day records three years in a row." The publisher maintains that life-to-date sales for the "Call of Duty" franchise now top the worldwide theatrical box office for both "Star Wars" and "Lord of the Rings." Analysts expect "Modern Warfare 3" to sell 18-19 million units by the end of the calendar year, generating roughly $1.2 billion in revenue. ("Black Ops" cracked the $1 billion mark in six months.) The success of the game, while hardly surprising given that Activision had previously announced record pre-orders, is still a vindication for the publisher. "Modern Warfare 3" is the first game from the company's Infinity Ward division since the abrupt dismissal of studio heads and series creators Jason West and Vince Zampella. Activision alleged they were meeting with competitor Electronic Arts about starting a new development studio. West and Zampella deny that accusation. Both parties are suing the other, with the cases expected to go to trial next year. West and Zampella have since launched a new company -- Respawn Entertainment -- and several key members of the Infinity Ward team have defected to it. Given the drama, "Modern Warfare 3" was a game under the microscope, but the sales numbers should put to rest any questions about whether gamer loyalties lie with the game or the people who make it. "'Call of Duty' is more than a game," said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing. "It's become a major part of the pop cultural landscape. It is a game that core enthusiasts love, but that also consistently draws new people into the medium." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com