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Story by Patrick Garratt

Wed, Nov 12, 2008 | 11:00 GMT

Gears 2 sells 2 million copies in launch weekend

Microsoft’s confirmed that Gears of War 2 sold more than 2 million units in its launch weekend.

The firm also said that more than 1.5 million people signed into the game over the weekend, racking up a total 15 million gameplay hours and setting a new record for concurrent Live players.

More than 19 million GoW2 Achievements were unlocked.

It’s unclear whether or not the sales figure is US-only.

Update: It’s a worldwide figure. Press release after the break.

“Gears of War 2″ Sales Top 2 Million Units in its Blockbuster Opening Weekend
“Gears of War 2″ players help push the number of concurrent Xbox LIVE users to an all-time high

LONDON – 12 November 2008 – One of the biggest entertainment events of the holiday season has arrived. With weekend sales topping 2 million units worldwide, “Gears of War 2” is well on its way to becoming one of the biggest releases of this console generation.

Over 20,000 retail locations opened their doors at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 7 to celebrate the worldwide release of “Gears of War 2.” After months of anticipation, throngs of eager fans in 20 countries were finally able to get their hands on the Xbox 360 exclusive title.

“We were so excited to launch ‘Gears of War 2’ on the same day all around the world, something virtually unheard of in the games business,” said Cliff Bleszinski, design director at Epic Games. “We wanted our fans, no matter where they live, to have a shared experience on day one, and that’s exactly what’s happened.”

More than 1.5 million people logged into “Gears of War 2” on Xbox LIVE during the weekend, racking up a total 15 million gameplay hours and helping set a new record for concurrent LIVE players. These players also collectively unlocked more than 19 million Achievements.

“Gears of War 2” provides an epic, adrenaline-fuelled rollercoaster ride that expands upon the original game’s themes of loss, hope and survival. “Gears of War 2” sees COG heroes Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad fighting to save the last cities on Sera from an engulfing Locust threat, while the mission turns personal for Dominic Santiago as he uncovers clues in the search for his missing wife, Maria.

Xbox 360 fan Shiam Jai, who travelled over 200 miles and waited outside the Kingston branch of GAME for 36 hours to be the first person in the UK to get their hands on a copy of the coveted game, commented “I’ve been waiting two years for this moment and now I’ve finally got my hands on it. It’s going to be the greatest game of all time, made even better by being able to play it on the greatest console of all time ’’

“Gears of War 2” is rated 18 by the BBFC and is now available exclusively on Xbox 360 with an ERP of £44.99 for the Standard Edition and £49.99 for the Limited Edition. For the latest information, please visit www.gearsofwar.com.

15 Posted in: Action, Hot, Microsoft, Shooter, Xbox 360
Tags: epic, gears of war 2