James Cameron's tale of blue aliens battling ecological damage took 17 days to hit the billion-dollar mark in 2009, a feat matched last year by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two.
The Call of Duty series' developer, Activision, used the news to highlight the growing strength of the videogames industry compared to other form of entertainment.
"Call of Duty as an entertainment franchise has made an indelible mark on popular culture," said Bobby Kotick, chief executive of Activision Blizzard, Activision's parent company.
"Call of Duty is now amongst that rarified group of sustained franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and the National Football League that attract or engage tens of millions of people every year or every new release."
Activision said that while cinema box office revenues are down four per cent in 2011 compared to last year, "the number of people purchasing and participating in gaming is on the rise, with no sign of slowing".
Modern Warfare 3, the eighth game in the Call of Duty series, is set in 2016, with the world under threat from a Russian ultranationalist terrorist. The hunt for Vladimir Makarov takes gamers through a series of explosive battles around the world, including in real locations in London, Paris and New York.
The first-person shooter received excellent reviews when it was released on November 8 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.
Activision's new subscription online service, Call of Duty Elite, launched alongside Modern Warfare 3, has meanwhile already attracted six million gamers, the firm added.
Source
The Call of Duty series' developer, Activision, used the news to highlight the growing strength of the videogames industry compared to other form of entertainment.
"Call of Duty as an entertainment franchise has made an indelible mark on popular culture," said Bobby Kotick, chief executive of Activision Blizzard, Activision's parent company.
"Call of Duty is now amongst that rarified group of sustained franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings and the National Football League that attract or engage tens of millions of people every year or every new release."
Activision said that while cinema box office revenues are down four per cent in 2011 compared to last year, "the number of people purchasing and participating in gaming is on the rise, with no sign of slowing".
Modern Warfare 3, the eighth game in the Call of Duty series, is set in 2016, with the world under threat from a Russian ultranationalist terrorist. The hunt for Vladimir Makarov takes gamers through a series of explosive battles around the world, including in real locations in London, Paris and New York.
The first-person shooter received excellent reviews when it was released on November 8 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii.
Activision's new subscription online service, Call of Duty Elite, launched alongside Modern Warfare 3, has meanwhile already attracted six million gamers, the firm added.
Source
