Gears of War 3 Sees Over 3M Sales In First Week

Microsoft revealed today that Epic Games' critically acclaimed shooter Gears of War 3 has sold over three million units in its first week on sale. The game was released worldwide last week, and has already grossed more than any other video game released during 2011. Earlier in the week it was noted that the launch of the game was the biggest video game launch of the year in the UK. Sales of the title have now pushed the entire Gears of War franchise past $1 billion in lifetime sales, across all three releases. This also marks the first time an Xbox 360 exclusive franchise has surpassed the $1 billion lifetime sales milestone. Microsoft vice president Phil Spencer said of the news, "Gears of War was the first killer app for Xbox 360, and the series has continued to contribute directly to the overall success of the platform ever since." "Gears of War 3 kicked off the biggest Christmas period in Xbox history, setting the standard for the kind of amazing, action-packed experiences gamers should expect on Xbox 360 this year."