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    Call of Duty: Black Ops II

    Game » consists of 19 releases. Released Nov 13, 2012

    The Black Ops storyline continues, switching the past Cold War from the game's predecessor to future 2025, as a new Cold War between U.S.A. and China flares up due to the actions of one vengeful drug-runner.

    I just saw the day one numbers

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    PulledaBrad

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    #1  Edited By PulledaBrad

    And holy shit. HALF A BILLION DOLLARS? Thats almost enough to rent out the Staples Center near the NBA championships. I mean fuck, I thought we were in a recession and that video games were on a slide, but apparently all the industry needed as a new coat of paint and some minor changes to make an illegal amount of money in one day.

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    Sackmanjones

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    #2  Edited By Sackmanjones

    I think Black Ops 2 is pretty good

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    Giantstalker

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    #3  Edited By Giantstalker

    It's good to know that legions of pretentious hipsters can't stop a great game from selling well.

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    GunstarRed

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    #4  Edited By GunstarRed

    It sucks that so many people like video games.

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    PulledaBrad

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    #5  Edited By PulledaBrad

    I don think it sucks, but for a game that really not that much has changed, kinda like halo 4, to sell like this is nets to me. Do people not want to play something new? Or just something "safe"?

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    Linkin10362

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    #6  Edited By Linkin10362

    I believe Black Ops deserves it. I've always really dug the Treyarch games and hated the Infinity Wards ones, while almost everyone else was the opposite. Now look at what happened.

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    Levio

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    #7  Edited By Levio

    Economies of scale. There are exponentially more gamers every year, but the costs of game development aren't going anywhere (quickly), and the cost of each disc is negligible. So these numbers (both gross and net) are only going to get crazier every year.

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    PulledaBrad

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    #8  Edited By PulledaBrad

    @Linkin10362 said:

    I believe Black Ops deserves it. I've always really dug the Treyarch games and hated the Infinity Wards ones, while almost everyone else was the opposite. Now look at what happened.

    Havent kept up with the news on that, but its not really IW anymore is it, after MW2?

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    colourful_hippie

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    #9  Edited By colourful_hippie

    So I'm guessing it broke the day one sales record again? I wonder if this will sell more because the first Black Ops is still the top selling game of all time. MW 3 beat its day one sales but not overall copies sold.

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    JasonR86

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    #10  Edited By JasonR86

    @Giantstalker said:

    It's good to know that legions of pretentious hipsters can't stop a great game from selling well.

    YEAH!

    It's odd that this game, of all the games on the planet, was the one that caught on. Don't get me wrong. It's a solid shooter. But lets say I'm an investor. What about COD makes it sell like this versus, say, any other random FPS? Pretty soon the quality of it wouldn't have an effect on sales right? Not everyone who bought that game knew it would be good or bad. They bought the brand. How the fuck did that COD brand become so damn big so quick?

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    MiniPato

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    #11  Edited By MiniPato

    @PulledaBrad said:

    I don think it sucks, but for a game that really not that much has changed, kinda like halo 4, to sell like this is nets to me. Do people not want to play something new? Or just something "safe"?

    People want to play with their friends and all their friends are buying Black Ops 2 and the friends of their friends too. So it makes sense that it would sell a lot. Also, people can enjoy a CoD game and an original game. You make it sound like an either or choice. The fact of the matter is, CoD is well known among non-gamers as well. No other game franchise currently has that kind of brand recognition except maybe Grand Theft Auto. Games like XCOM or Deus Ex Human Revolution aren't going to sell to non-gamers.

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    Linkin10362

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    #12  Edited By Linkin10362

    @PulledaBrad said:

    @Linkin10362 said:

    I believe Black Ops deserves it. I've always really dug the Treyarch games and hated the Infinity Wards ones, while almost everyone else was the opposite. Now look at what happened.

    Havent kept up with the news on that, but its not really IW anymore is it, after MW2?

    IW is responsible for the Modern Warfare games as well as CoD1 and 2. Treyarch has done everything else. (CoD3, WaW, Black Ops 1 and 2)

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    PulledaBrad

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    #13  Edited By PulledaBrad

    @Linkin10362 said:

    @PulledaBrad said:

    @Linkin10362 said:

    I believe Black Ops deserves it. I've always really dug the Treyarch games and hated the Infinity Wards ones, while almost everyone else was the opposite. Now look at what happened.

    Havent kept up with the news on that, but its not really IW anymore is it, after MW2?

    IW is responsible for the Modern Warfare games as well as CoD1 and 2. Treyarch has done everything else. (CoD3, WaW, Black Ops 1 and 2)

    No I understand who made what. I was just referring to the fact that after MW2 most of the eromplyees left after the West/Zampella firings. Could be why I was so cold to MW3 (played it a month then sold it.) and dont have any interest in this new BLOPS. Plus, the modders and hackers ruin these games quicker and quicker it seems.

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    PulledaBrad

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    #14  Edited By PulledaBrad

    @MiniPato said:

    @PulledaBrad said:

    I don think it sucks, but for a game that really not that much has changed, kinda like halo 4, to sell like this is nets to me. Do people not want to play something new? Or just something "safe"?

    People want to play with their friends and all their friends are buying Black Ops 2 and the friends of their friends too. So it makes sense that it would sell a lot. Also, people can enjoy a CoD game and an original game. You make it sound like an either or choice. The fact of the matter is, CoD is well known among non-gamers as well. No other game franchise currently has that kind of brand recognition except maybe Grand Theft Auto. Games like XCOM or Deus Ex Human Revolution aren't going to sell to non-gamers.

    You make a ton of sense. Maybe I just want some intangible aspect in my FPS that I cant quite put my finger on.

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    Arbie

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    #15  Edited By Arbie

    Wow. I can't think what else I can add to this. Just... wow.

    Oh and sure it kinda makes sense that if people are going to part with fifty odd pounds that they'd buy into something they know will be pretty good. Especially, like has already been said, since it's multiplayer and a lot of friend of friends and friends play it.

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    SpaceInsomniac

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    #16  Edited By SpaceInsomniac
    @Giantstalker said:

    It's good to know that legions of pretentious hipsters can't stop a great game from selling well.

    This made me laugh.   
     
    In a good way, though.  So far, I'm really enjoying Black Ops 2.
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    AlexW00d

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    #17  Edited By AlexW00d

    It's great videogames can sell so much and all, but it's a shame it's not a more deserved game that gets sales like this :/

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    Sayishere

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    #18  Edited By Sayishere

    I legimately loved the campaign, and the multiplayer, is more call of duty, which is fine. This game deserves the sales.

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    tallTuck94

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    #19  Edited By tallTuck94

    If anything Black Ops 2 is the first cod game to deserve big sales since the first Modern Warfare. It's not only a well made game but the first to try new things in the singleplayer which is all I really care about.

    That being said I do wish that this kind of money was spread out more across the whole industry rather than just big budget fps games.

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    david3cm

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    #20  Edited By david3cm

    @PulledaBrad said:

    Thats almost enough to rent out the Staples Center near the NBA championships.

    Is that a universally recognized example for expense?

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    cornbredx

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    #21  Edited By cornbredx

    My math is probably wrong but I think that's ~8.3 million sales. 
    Doesn't seem as fantastical if I did that right. A lot of people like COD games. 
     
    It does kind of make you wonder what the sales would be like if the game was rushed and not well made. If people buy it just because it's call of duty or if there is actual reasons behind the mass majority of those purchases (beyond the simplistic "my friends got it" or something). 
    For me that is interesting to think about.

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    Vinny_Says

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    #22  Edited By Vinny_Says

    Both 343 and Treyarch put a real effort into making their iterative games something special and both succeeded. Give credit where it is due son.

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    TheSouthernDandy

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    #23  Edited By TheSouthernDandy

    @Vinny_Says said:

    Both 343 and Treyarch put a real effort into making their iterative games something special and both succeeded. Give credit where it is due son.

    Word. Yeah they don't reinvent the wheel but they're real well made games and deserve the sales. Yeah Activision kinda sucks but any money coming into this industry is good.

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    ajamafalous

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    #24  Edited By ajamafalous
    @david3cm said:

    @PulledaBrad said:

    Thats almost enough to rent out the Staples Center near the NBA championships.

    Is that a universally recognized example for expense?

    Of course.
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    SpaceInsomniac

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    #25  Edited By SpaceInsomniac
    @david3cm said:

    @PulledaBrad said:

    Thats almost enough to rent out the Staples Center near the NBA championships.

    Is that a universally recognized example for expense?

    It is here.
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    Bourbon_Warrior

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    #26  Edited By Bourbon_Warrior

    @PulledaBrad said:

    I don think it sucks, but for a game that really not that much has changed, kinda like halo 4, to sell like this is nets to me. Do people not want to play something new? Or just something "safe"?

    But they don't want change, you don't sell 20 million copies the year before then make drastic changes just doesn't make good business sense.

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    Brendan

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    #27  Edited By Brendan

    @AlexW00d said:

    It's great videogames can sell so much and all, but it's a shame it's not a more deserved game that gets sales like this :/

    It's great that movies can sell so much and all, but it's a shame it's often not a more deserved movie that gets sales like this :/

    It's great that books can sell so much and all, but it's a shame it's often not a more deserved book that gets sales like this :/

    It's great that paintings can sell so much and all, but....ok I've ran out.

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    PulledaBrad

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    #28  Edited By PulledaBrad

    @TheSouthernDandy said:

    @Vinny_Says said:

    Both 343 and Treyarch put a real effort into making their iterative games something special and both succeeded. Give credit where it is due son.

    Word. Yeah they don't reinvent the wheel but they're real well made games and deserve the sales. Yeah Activision kinda sucks but any money coming into this industry is good.

    Ill say this. Treyarch and 343 have done very well as far as the story goes in their games (some may say they were too vague in 343's case leaning on outside media to fill in the gaps). BUt as far as gameplay goes, it is super stale. Halo in itself hasnt changed a whole heck of a lot. You couldnt even sprint until Reach. Outside of some mutiplayer elements its pretty much the same Halo game youve been playing since Combat Evolved. I feel the same way about the CoD franchise as a whole. Pretty cool action scenes that last 6 hours and then youre done. Then go into the same multiplayer that youve been playing for the past 5 years.

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    Roger778

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    #29  Edited By Roger778

    I have to admit that I'm impressed.

    Half a billion copies of Call of Duty Black Ops 2 sold on the first day it comes out! That is a staggering amount of money made.

    I could be wrong, but I think this is proof that the economy is recovering nicely.

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    mellotronrules

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    #30  Edited By mellotronrules

    @Giantstalker said:

    It's good to know that legions of pretentious hipsters can't stop a great game from selling well.

    can we all agree to stop using a word that no one agrees on? besides, most hipsters are understood to be contrarians- most 'gamers' (i.e. not casuals) seem to be in the 'fuck call of duty' camp these days, so wouldn't it be MORE hipster to be into CoD? moreover, couldn't one argue that CoD is MORE pretentious (in the true sense of the word) with it's quasi-historical setup than whatever this internet conception of hipsterism is?

    edit: full disclosure- i have a personal vendetta against the word 'hipster,' not the poster. it's an utterly useless word that has been co-opted by any and every subculture to mean whatever negative they want.

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    Vinny_Says

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    #31  Edited By Vinny_Says

    @PulledaBrad said:

    @TheSouthernDandy said:

    @Vinny_Says said:

    Both 343 and Treyarch put a real effort into making their iterative games something special and both succeeded. Give credit where it is due son.

    Word. Yeah they don't reinvent the wheel but they're real well made games and deserve the sales. Yeah Activision kinda sucks but any money coming into this industry is good.

    Ill say this. Treyarch and 343 have done very well as far as the story goes in their games (some may say they were too vague in 343's case leaning on outside media to fill in the gaps). BUt as far as gameplay goes, it is super stale. Halo in itself hasnt changed a whole heck of a lot. You couldnt even sprint until Reach. Outside of some mutiplayer elements its pretty much the same Halo game youve been playing since Combat Evolved. I feel the same way about the CoD franchise as a whole. Pretty cool action scenes that last 6 hours and then youre done. Then go into the same multiplayer that youve been playing for the past 5 years.

    Yes, that's what iterative means. If you're trying to say those games are terrible, you could have just said so. If you're surprised that people will pay to play sequels to things they enjoyed in the past, well that's just how the world works.

    One day a new game will sell gangbusters and it'll be great, then they'll make sequels and the cycle will begin anew.

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    jillsandwich

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    #32  Edited By jillsandwich

    @Giantstalker said:

    It's good to know that legions of pretentious hipsters can't stop a great game from selling well.

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    YOU_DIED

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    #33  Edited By YOU_DIED

    @Levio said:

    Economies of scale. There are exponentially more gamers every year, but the costs of game development aren't going anywhere (quickly), and the cost of each disc is negligible. So these numbers (both gross and net) are only going to get crazier every year.

    This, plus absolutely massive inflation

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    YOU_DIED

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    #34  Edited By YOU_DIED

    @mellotronrules said:

    @Giantstalker said:

    It's good to know that legions of pretentious hipsters can't stop a great game from selling well.

    can we all agree to stop using a word that no one agrees on? besides, most hipsters are understood to be contrarians- most 'gamers' (i.e. not casuals) seem to be in the 'fuck call of duty' camp these days, so wouldn't it be MORE hipster to be into CoD? moreover, couldn't one argue that CoD is MORE pretentious (in the true sense of the word) with it's quasi-historical setup than whatever this internet conception of hipsterism is?

    edit: full disclosure- i have a personal vendetta against the word 'hipster,' not the poster. it's an utterly useless word that has been co-opted by any and every subculture to mean whatever negative they want.

    I try not to worry about what is and isn't pretentious, if you do you'll be continually pissed off and frustrated at the human race

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    DrDarkStryfe

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    #35  Edited By DrDarkStryfe

    Every year this franchise shatters the mark for largest entertainment launch. Activision has perfected the yearly release formula for this franchise, learning from their mistakes with Guitar Hero and Tony Hawk.

    No one in this industry knows how to make money more than Activision-Blizzard.

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    mellotronrules

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    #36  Edited By mellotronrules

    @YOU_DIED said:

    I try not to worry about what is and isn't pretentious, if you do you'll be continually pissed off and frustrated at the human race

    i know, i know. i just see red whenever those words appear together. misappropriation of words is my neurosis- it's like when zynga was using 'sunset' as euphemism for 'firing our employees.'

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