Diablo III has set a launch record for the fast-selling PC game of all time, Activision Blizzard announced this morning. The long-awaited sequel to 2000’s Diablo II sold over 3.5 million copies in its first 24 hours of availability, following its May 15th launch.
By the end of its first week, that number increased to 6.3 million. Additionally, Blizzard point out that these figures don’t include players in Korean Internet game rooms, where Diablo III has quickly become the top-played game, with a share of 39% as of May 22nd.
Both Amazon and GameStop had positive things to say about Diablo III’s launch. GameStop say it was one of their best PC launches ever, while Amazon said Diablo III broke their record for most pre-ordered PC game of all time, as well as the record for best day-one sales of any PC game.
Part of the reason the game is so successful is that Blizzard executed a global launch for Diablo III. The game was released through over 8,000 retailers on May 15th in the U.S., Canada, Europe, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Additionally, it was also available via download from the Diablo III website, making it accessible to players in regions such as Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil.
“We’re definitely thrilled that so many people around the world were excited to pick up their copy of Diablo III and jump in the moment it went live,” said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We also regret that our preparations were not enough to ensure everyone had a seamless experience when they did so. I want to reaffirm our commitment to make sure the millions of Diablo III players out there have a great experience with the game moving forward, and I also want to thank them for their ongoing support.”
