How big is this release? Let’s count the ways.

• The antiterrorism-themed game will likely be the most successful video game of the year, at least among devoted gamers. “New Super Mario Bros. Wii” may pull in more sales this holiday season, thanks to children and their nostalgic parents. But among many hardcore and even mild video-game fans, the Mature-rated Modern Warfare 2 is a must-buy title.

• Analysts expect the game’s publisher, Activision, to pull in “at least half a billion dollars on the game in the first week,” reports the AP. “It could easily rake in more than last year’s record $155 million opening weekend for ‘The Dark Knight,’ ” the highest-grossing opening weekend in box-office history.

That comparison may not be entirely fair. The game costs at least $60, whereas the rising prices of movie tickets aren’t quiet there yet. So, “The Dark Knight” needed to pull in about six-times more fans to earn each million-dollar benchmark.

The biggest video game launch goes to last year’s “Grand Theft Auto 4,” which pulled in more than $500 million by selling 6 million copies in its first week. That made GTA4 the “top entertainment launch ever.” Some analysts think Modern Warfare 2 could be even bigger.

• More than 10,000 US stores will open at midnight for special launch events. They include most of the 4,300 GameStop stores across the country and many Best Buy locations. GameStop also reports that pre-orders hit an all-time high. The hype even sparked bidding wars between stores, with Amazon and WalMart each offering free $20 gift certificates if shoppers pre-order the game through them.

• To compete for a piece of that pie, several smaller video game retailers are breaking embargoes by selling the game today. This pushed many GameStop locations to follow suit. “This past weekend, GameStop made the decision to break street date and sell reserved copies of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in select markets where other retailers had broken street date,” said GameStop VP Chris Olivera. “Our decision followed many conversations with Activision and was an effort to protect our customer base.”

However, Activision says that in those “many conversation,” the publisher never condoned breaking the street date. “Activision has not given any retailer permission to sell ‘Modern Warfare 2′ prior to the Nov. 10 street date,” the company said.

Check back here Tuesday for a Modern Warfare review roundup.

src: Chris Gaylord

Electronic Arts Inc. agreed to acquire social-network games maker Playfish for at least $275 million as the videogame publisher looks to strengthen its position in the growing Internet and wireless gaming segment.

Playfish says it has more than 60 million active player accounts across its 10 game titles, which include games like “Pet Society” and “Restaurant City” that are used on platforms such as Facebook and MySpace. It will become part of EA’s interactive business, which includes its EA Mobile unit.

In addition to the cash at closing, EA has agreed to about $25 million in equity retention arrangements and Playfish’s former owners could get up to $100 million of additional cash if the company reaches certain milestones by the end of 2011. London-based Playfish is backed by Accel Partners, Index Ventures and Stanhope Capital.

EA, which releases quarterly results after markets close Monday, has been working hard to revamp its lineup after not scoring a profit in more than two years, well before the retail slump set in. Still, the company has released some much-needed hit videogame products, including the latest Sims installment and sports games for Nintendo Co.’s Wii platform.

Turnaround efforts have been complicated by the downturn in consumer spending, which analysts are saying may not recover in time for the holiday season. However, in August Chief Financial Officer Eric Brown said the company was expecting growth in the second half of this year, and strong growth of its digital services business.

By TESS STYNES (Wallstreet Journal)

This looks awesome!   “Prince of Persia Sands of Time” was one great video game, so now lets see if it can be one great movie!!  Look for the release May 28th 2010.

Several outlets are reporting rock group No Doubt has filed a lawsuit against Activision over the use of their likenesses in the recently released game Band Hero.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the suit alleges the game publisher used the digital avatars of the band to a greater extent than allowed in their contract.

Band Hero – Activision’s family-friendly version of the Guitar Hero franchise – includes three songs from No Doubt in which players can perform as members of the group. However, the suit alleges they did not agree to let players use their virtual likenesses to perform other songs available on the game.

“They agreed to play three No Doubt songs as a band,” Jim Guerinot, the group’s manager, tells the L.A. Times. “Activision then went and put them in 62 other songs and broke the band up (and) never even asked.”

In response to the suit, Activision released a statement to the Times and other outlets saying the publisher “is within its legal rights with respect to the use and portrayal of the band members in the game and that this lawsuit is without merit.”

The lawsuit follows the controversial inclusion of deceased Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain in Guitar Hero 5, sparked by a video of his digital avatar rapping and singing a Bon Jovi song.  The clip prompted Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love, and former Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic to speak out against the appearance of Cobain in September.

By Brett Molina (USA Today.com)

“Best Buy ” is having a midnight welcome to the latest edition of Activision’s Call of Duty series.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 goes on sale Nov. 10, and Best Buy is opening more than 500 of its stores at 12 a.m. Tuesday morning to pull in early shoppers. The early-openings represent for about half of Best Buy’s total domestic stores.

So be sure to contact your local store to see if there on the list if your interested in the midnight release.