Despite a rough launch, Diablo III sold more than 3.5 million copies in the first 24 hours of its release, making it the fastest-selling PC game of all time, according to publisher Blizzard Entertainment.
The publisher said that number does not include the more than 1.2 million players who received a free copy of the game after signing up for the World of Warcraft Annual Pass promotion. This means an estimated 4.7 million players total were willing (but not necessarily able) to storm Sanctuary on launch night. After one week, that number has already grown to more than 6.3 million, which represents close to $400 million in sales at retail.
Naturally, Blizzard is thrilled to have sold so many copies in such a short amount of time. CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime said the company recognizes that setting a new launch record is a big achievement, and it is “especially proud” of the gameplay feedback it’s received from players worldwide. However, Morhaime also expressed regret over the game’s launch night issues and said the company’s preparations were not enough to ensure everyone had a seamless experience.
“I want to reaffirm our commitment to make sure the millions of Diablo III players out there have a great experience with the game moving forward, and I also want to thank them for their ongoing support,” he said.