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Last week, EA bragged that they had shipped 10 million copies of Battlefield 3 in the first week. But “shipped” and “sold” are two very different things, and the actual sales numbers are staring to roll in. According to EA, gamers purchased 5 million copies of BF3 around the world, which makes it the “fastest-selling game in EA’s history.” Patrick Soderlund, one of the VPs at EA, had this to say: “It is extremely gratifying to deliver an entertainment experience that delights our fans, and to have the opportunity to introduce new people to the franchise. Already, we are seeing unprecedented play times and online activity which is very rewarding. This launch solidifies Battlefield as a leading entertainment brand.” Part of Battlefield 3’s success has come from the UK market, where it topped the sales charts over the weekend. It managed to beat out heavy hitters like Arkham City and FIFA 12. And when any game beats a soccer game in the European market, you know you’ve got something special. Impressively, BF3’s performance was better than the last 17 Battlefield game debuts combined. Yes, you read that correctly. 
“We are happy to report that PS3 and PC players experienced server stability all weekend, and Xbox 360 servers are at 95 percent and climbing,” said an EA spokesman. “There were a number of different factors that impacted server connectivity across the platforms. Regardless of the cause or platform, our Online teams are standing by to identify the issues and addressed them as they arise. We will not rest until we’re at 100 percent.” Many of the bugs are still running amuck, but at least Dice and EA are working on it. And if you find yourself a victim of one of the problems, feel free to check out our Battlefield 3 review in your downtime. You’re welcome. By Josh Engen |