Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Launch Defeats Street Dates

Publisher Activision has promised the "biggest entertainment launch of all time" for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, and many retailers across America are happily catering to consumers who just can't wait for the official launch tomorrow. Even some GameStop stores have elected to break the game's street date, fearing lost sales from mom-and-pop stores that have begun to sell the game early. "This past weekend, GameStop made the decision to break street date and sell reserved copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in select markets where other retailers had broken street date," the company explained to consumer weblog Kotaku in a statement. These "select markets" likely include larger cities where small game boutiques flourish -- these independently-owned stores may intentionally or unintentionally break street dates as they compete with established corporate chains. Residents of New York City, for example, have numerous options for shops known to break street dates for major launches. "Our decision followed many conversations with Activision and was an effort to protect our customer base," said GameStop. That's apparently news to the publisher, which maintains it never authorized any stores to sell early.