MW3 sales numbers explained: How did it perform?

There are multiple factors to evaluate a Call of Duty title’s success, and sales numbers are one of them. While the franchise tries to deliver a streamlined experience every year, not everything may go according to the plan and anything negative can impact sales.

Soon after its release, Modern Warfare 3 officially became the worst-rated CoD title of all time. However, this metric can only impact MW3’s future sales since pre-purchases were mostly based on hype and trailers.

While MW3’s 2024 sales might take a hit due to the negative press it received, it didn’t have the worst of launches compared to previous years. Here’s how it stacked up against its peers.

How did MW3 perform in sales numbers during its release?

MW3 became the number one ranked title in the UK boxed charts top 10 according to market research company GfK and a report from GamesIndustry.biz, snatching the top spot from EA Sports FC 24. This means physical retail demand for MW3 has been enough to outperform its current competition, but it hasn’t been able to keep up with its own standards.

MW3 sales numbers during its 2023 launch were reported to be 25 percent lower than 2022’s Modern Warfare 2. More detailed numbers in this regard are expected to become available in future Activision press releases or earnings calls.

Considering the abysmal ratings that MW3 received since its release, performing only 25 percent worse than MW2 could be a cause for celebration. However, the real uphill battle for the title starts now since the initial negative press will start hurting its long-term sales 

Though Activision gave a decisive answer on the MW3 and Game Pass, the publisher might rethink its decision and potentially backtrack from not releasing MW3 on the battle pass in 2023. However, all isn’t lost for MW3 since the developer can always turn the tides around with follow-up patches and a home run event.