Biggest entertainment launch of 2014: Call of Duty videogame blasts past $10 billion in lifetime sales

The sales were heavily boosted by huge demand for the latest installment in the 11-year-old franchise.

18:17 21 November 2014

Call of Duty, the blockbuster military shooter video game, has officially passed $10billion in lifetime sales following the huge demand for the latest installment in the 11-year-old franchise, “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.”

Parent company Activision Blizzard’s chief Bobby Kotick said that Call of Duty, which was officially launched in 2003, has brought in more than $10 billion in revenue. This exceeds box office receipts for smash films franchises such as “Hunger Games” and “Transformers.”

"Advanced Warfare is the biggest entertainment launch of 2014 in terms of revenue, surpassing all movie, music and book launches this year," Kotick said in a release.

Meanwhile, Activision Publishing chief Eric Hirshberg is expecting that Call of Duty’s latest installment, which will be released early this month, to be the top selling video game this year.

“Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare” is set in the year 2054, when a private military corporation run by Kevin Spacey’s character is the dominant power. Players take on the roles of soldiers with advanced combat abilities due to the usage of exoskeleton suits and other equipment.

Versions of "Advanced Warfare" are priced at around $60 (in US dollars) each across a variety of platforms.