Gears of War 3 sells over 3m in a week

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 29 September, 2011

Nice.

Xbox 360 exclusive shooter Gears of War 3 has sold over three million copies worldwide during its first week on sale, Microsoft has announced.

Microsoft said today the Epic-developed title is the biggest game of 2011 so far.

Gears of War 3 helped the franchise shoot past the one billion dollars in lifetime sales barrier. Nice.

In one week, Gears of War 3 grossed more than any 2011 game to date.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (58) Latest comment 8 months ago

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  • Ranger101 #1 8 months ago

    Deservedly so.

  • Quixz #2 8 months ago

    The boys did a good job! BEAST MODE!

  • onezeonx #3 8 months ago

    ill wait till its on ps3......

  • ruslan74 #4 8 months ago

    I am afraid that BF3 and MW3 will eclipse this otherwise great end to an exclusive trilogy in terms of sales figures.

  • NotoriousR #5 8 months ago

    Makes sense, Microsoft has marketed the hell out of this, and there aren't that many MS exclusive titles (apart from Kinect) hitting in 2011. Of course, being a good game also helps.

    But mainly the marketing.

  • Slipstream #6 8 months ago

    Nailed it!

  • slickster #7 8 months ago

    I have played gears 1&2 but dont own 360 anymore to play 3.

  • metallicorphan #8 8 months ago

    congrats,its a great game

  • rojjer #9 8 months ago

    if the beta hadn't put me off, I'd have got this. BF3 was heading the same way till I got on the Caspian Border servers, now I'm stoked for it

  • makeamazing #10 8 months ago

    Not interested in the game strangely enough (normally i like getting on the hype train :)... but never felt the need to play any GOW games.

    But fantastic sales, theres no doubt about that.

    Edit: Woah its just my opinion, no need to get upset.. i don't know why but i've never been drawn to this game... just making an observation..sorry about that.
    Edited by makeamazing at 29/09/11 @ 14:44

  • Xardan #11 8 months ago

    Impressive but it has a long way to go to beat Gears of War 2 sales.

  • Ryze #12 8 months ago

    Excellent numbers.

    However, this is what happened when the PS3's launch was delayed also.

    Preorders.

  • slickster #13 8 months ago

    @EddieMink, its not a story its the truth look at my profile you tit.

  • Ultrasoundwave #14 8 months ago

    3 million is a lot.

  • Primatori #15 8 months ago

    Deserves it, its an unreal game. They ironed all the bad things out of 1 and 2 and have nailed it in 3.

  • BSMR #16 8 months ago

    @Slickster, I think his point is no one gives a fuck.

    Great game, wasn't sold on the beta but the strength of the online game is Horde mode, not competitive.

    My personal GOTY so far.

  • -cerberus- #17 8 months ago

    And I still haven't bought it... From what I've heard and read, the single player campaign's excellent?

  • andywilkie35 #18 8 months ago

    Good sales for a superb game :)

  • Lymmusic #19 8 months ago

    Rented it, got to the bit where you fly on a meaty hot air balloon then youtubed the ending, saved myself about 2hours of pointless action sequences and staring at the little reload bar

  • Syrette #20 8 months ago

    Well deserved, stunning title.

  • madsox1 #21 8 months ago

    Slickster don't worry about eddieminge he is what you would call a little negative asshole :)

    Seriously tho great game and good sales figures are well deserved!!!

  • nuanimal #22 8 months ago

    Love the game, Co-op, Beast & Horde modes make it brilliant - haven't bothered with competitive multiplayer...

  • Cjail #23 8 months ago

    Greatly deserved, but at the same time it is sad to think that a great game such as Gears of War 3 still sells less then COD: the world is so unjust!
    Edited by Cjail at 29/09/11 @ 14:35

  • davisorle #24 8 months ago

    Post deleted at 15:13:20 09-05-2012

  • ShovelyJoe #25 8 months ago

    Although I appreciate why some might find Eddie's comment unnecessary, it made me chuckle. Thank's Eddie - was having a bad day in the office.

    Can't wait to smash the granny out of this but need to come back to UK first cos EU price discrepancy is a joke. Seriously, these companies are making extortionate amounts nf fx conversions. It begs the question, why the f**k is the euro so weak? Easyjet are the worst. 3.50 sterling for a coffee or 5 euros. That's got to be racist or something : )

  • onezeonx #26 8 months ago

    UGG Boots $50.....I DONT BELIEVE THAT VALUE!


    :p

  • TopKatt #27 8 months ago

    3 million in one week??? Now THAT's how you facelift bar!

  • onyxbox #28 8 months ago

    Who'd have thought eh?

    Winning formula = Starve your audience of an exclusive for a year, make sure it's an excellent game, market the sh!t out of it and then release it... BOOM! 3 million sales in a week.

    Impressive.

  • Ror1984 #29 8 months ago

    Utterly deserved. Congrats Epic, and thanks for a thoroughly excellent game :)

  • bratmandu #30 8 months ago

    It's great indeed, but the cover system is still a bit iffy - they should've allowed the option to hold down the button of cover like Rainbow6 and Deus Ex - would stop you sticking when you don't want to stick! That's the only gripe I have, horde mode is a lot of fun, and all the networking/matchmaking woes are fixed - although getting a guest into a game can be fiddly.

  • miiiguel #31 8 months ago

    "Winning formula = Starve your audience of an exclusive for a year"

    Realy?! Ppl buy Gears (on any game) because it's an "exclusiv3" ? I never thought exclusivity was a factor when choosing a game. Weird.
    Talking about weird, I didn't get Gears (guess "th3 exclusiv3" doesn't mean shit to me), and got myself X-Men: Destiny.

  • GamesConnoisseur #32 8 months ago

    Couple of my X360 owning mates got Warhammer and Dead Island respectively instead of Gears 3 on the game launch week, both thought Gears 3 gonna bomb and aint prepared themselves for the disappointment.

    I suggested rent, and for me, its the best of the three Gears games to date, 4 players co op plain campaign or even the point scoring arcade campaign co op, Horde. Beast are all quite fun and a blast. Said that to em both, but no they knows better from what they heard.

    I respected their views and they did say would eventually probably get it off bargain bin, and different people have their opinions and that how world works. Still preferred Warhammer? That is very much pretty near modelled on Gears without cover and Dead Island a better Fallout game but only really fun when in 4 players and that just mine opinion.

    Just glad that it did very well and sure MW3 and BF3 likely to beat that record for one week sales, but would be counted among the top ten games of the year I believe.

  • DUFFMAN5 #33 8 months ago

    Spot on. well done to all involved. Brilliant game.

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #34 8 months ago

    "In one week, Gears of War 3 grossed more than any 2011 game to date."

    However you skin it, that is impressive for a single format game. Well done Epic.

  • Mindstorm #35 8 months ago

    *token comment of praise*

  • Kinch0 #36 8 months ago

    All hail EddieMink, King of the Trolls.

  • onyxbox #37 8 months ago

    miiiguel wrote: "I never thought exclusivity was a factor when choosing a game."

    It's not the only factor but I believe it is *one* of many factors. The launch of a AAA exclusive can unite a comunity and that is something genuinly worth experiencing; when such an event hasn't happened for some time it becomes a bigger event and valued more by the community.

    So in short, I think exclusivity does factor into it.

  • cianchristopher #38 8 months ago

    I'm commenting on the internet.

  • kirankara #39 8 months ago

    Wow , some real cunts on these forums at times. Why's it so hard to believe someone might have had a 360, and now doesn't??? I had a 360 from very early in it's lifetime , traded for a ps3 slim about time of uc2 as more games appealed to me on ps3 at time. I now own both as I now have means to, unlike then. I still mainly play on ps3 , but have 360 as I play FIFA online with friends , who are all on 360 more or less, halo , and any shitty multiplats out there( fewer as time passes). I really liked gears 1, whilst 2 felt soul less to me, really didn't like it very much and gave up half way(bit more) through about 3 times in total . Tried mp first time recently in gears 2 and couldn't stand it, so unsurprisingly I approached 3 with trepidation , but think it's best in series and so far, a worthy contender for goty( portal 2 IMO) . Story is stronger, characterization is better , gameplay feels better knitted together. All my excitement has been about bf3 , but after beta I feel inclined to not bother and play gears mp instead .

    Anyway, my point is, people come on here to share opinions , not to share your opinion , not everyone loves same games, nor do they have to gush over it, and are even allowed to criticise it. They don't have to be arseholes bout game either , but you both have rights to comment , without beating treated like second class citizen

  • cianchristopher #40 8 months ago

    @kirankara

    Beautifully put! Each word you wrote is like some wonderful drug.

  • BigDannyH #41 8 months ago

    In the short time this has been out it's been the most fun I've had while gaming all year.

    Portal 2 was great but this has been more of a laugh. Not the intended comedy in the game (which is very base) but the multi-player co-op campaign and Horde have thrown me and my mates into some funny situations.

    My GOTY so far, although Batman

  • kangarootoo #42 8 months ago

    "my point is, people come on here to share opinions , not to share your opinion"

    Amen.

  • eltonpr0n #43 8 months ago

    @NotoriusR

    Hit the nail right on the head. As a xbox owner there is nothing exclusive coming out this year with the exception of Gears. Forza 4? Not interested. Halo Remake? I will play it but hardly exciting stuff. Not sure why you are getting negative voting on your post as it is pretty accurate. Unless xbox fanboys are blinded to the release schedule coming from MGS.

    MS are relying on COD again this year, and that will be purchased on my PC.

  • sjmlondon #44 8 months ago

    Hi,
    Suitably impressed with Gears 3. The increase in speed in multiplayer is noticable and a vaste improvement, the campaign is very playable in co-op, the revamped Horde is just as much fun as before and, even though they nicked the medals and pins off Battlefield it does encourage to keep going with specific objectives rather than just total number of kills.

  • Ryze #45 8 months ago

    @Primatori

    I see what you did there!

  • Slipstream #46 8 months ago

    *jams gun* Wretched device!

    Well done Epic!

  • darkmorgado #47 8 months ago

    What bizarre parallel universe have I slipped into?

    Only 1 xbox exclusive this year?

    Erm: Gears 3, Forza 4, Halo, Gunstringer, Rise of Nightmares, pretty much everything on Kinect. There's been about 20 exclusives so far this year, and that's not counting Arcade exclusives.

  • Primatori #48 8 months ago

    @Ryze - Thanks :)

  • Hindle #49 8 months ago

    Post deleted at 15:13:20 09-05-2012

  • coolbritannia #50 8 months ago

    It may interest some of you to know that I used to own Telecaster, but I traded it in.

    No?

  • Monsieur_Blade #51 8 months ago

    I need more free time!!! Really want to get this but having not played GOW 1 or 2 would people suggest I start from the beginning or just get GOW 3?

    Are there parts of the single playe storyline that I just won't understand?

  • Slipstream #52 8 months ago

    Monsier Blade. You can jump right into this one. At the title screen there's an option called 'Previously on Gears' where you can view the events prior, told lovingly by the amazing Anya Stoud!

    *loves Anya*

  • Monsieur_Blade #53 8 months ago

    Thanks Slipstream that's excellent news! You can make that 3,000,001 sales now Epic :-)

  • asphaltcowboy #54 8 months ago

    Fully deserved, it's EXCELLENT.

  • kirankara #55 8 months ago

    coolbritannia
    29/09/11 @ 17:02

    "It may interest some of you to know that I used to own Telecaster, but I traded it in.

    No?"

    More original and interesting than many comments on this site tbh

  • Daeltaja #56 8 months ago

    Will tuck into this over the next week or so. Got handed a free copy today, along with Battlefield 3 and Uncharted 3 at a work conference, happy days!

    Edit: Will get the latter 2 on release day.
    Edited by Daeltaja at 29/09/11 @ 20:51

  • dllord #57 8 months ago

    Shithot game!

  • irrelevanthuman #58 8 months ago

    Gears of War 3 is the reason I play videogames. Thoroughly deserving of its success.