We rarely get the chance to reexamine the success of titles here in Chart Toppers. After all, what is there to really say about Wii Play other than people keep on buying it when they purchase a Wii? Usually, the closest we get to reexamining perpetually successful titles is either by discussing their sequels or their expansions, which works nicely for the MMO World of Warcraft.
While other fields of gaming might spark debate about who's really number one, World of Warcraft is the most successful subscription MMO in the world. Period. We say that confidently, given the game's huge subscriber base of over 11.5 million, giving it as much as two-thirds of the worldwide MMORPG market share. There is no competition: there is only World of Warcraft; other titles must content themselves with the scraps. With the game's second major expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, World of Warcraft has certainly maintained its momentum. We take a closer look at the Lich King's success.
Lich King puts a price tag on human souls
According to the NPD, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King was the top selling PC title during November 2008 , with its Collector's Edition taking up the second slot. The expansion has gone on to be the top selling PC game during both December 2008 and January 2009. Overall, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King has sold 1.7 million copies during that three month period.
"We're grateful for the incredible support that players around the world have continued to show for World of Warcraft," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Entertainment at the time of the expansion's release. "Wrath of the Lich King contains some of the best content we've created for the game so far, and we look forward to seeing even more players log in to experience it in the days ahead."
These totals, however, mask the fact that World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King is a true worldwide success. Indeed, the expansion went live simultaneously in the U.S., most major European markets and Korea with over 15,000 stores opening at midnight to meet demands. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King sold 2.8 million copies across the globe during just the first 24 hours.
To put these sales in perspective, the total makes World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King the fastest selling PC title in history. The previous title to hold the record was none other than World of Warcraft's previous expansion Burning Crusade, which sold 2.4 million copies in the first 24 hours. While most publishers would be satisfied to see a title sell that amount over an entire lifespan, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King will no doubt sell hundreds of thousands of copies more as time moves on.
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