Mass Effect 2 Sells 500,000 Units on Day One in the Americas

After a strong critical reception and intense advertising campaign, Mass Effect 2 had an excellent opening day in the Americas. According to VGChartz preliminary estimates, around 500,000 copies of the game were sold on day one. Extrapolating for the week, total sales should surpass 700,000 in the Americas by Saturday. With a strong launch also expected in Europe (the UK especially), total sales by Saturday could be close to one million units worldwide about it line with the launch of Fable II back in October 2008. The original Mass Effect sold 2.1 million copies on Xbox 360 in total and 400,000 in week one Mass Effect 2 will comfortably outperform that.

[bmw69]

Amazing sales for Mass Effect 2 and not bad for MAG either...

[Bungie]

and that's only in America

Mass Effect 2 is Kicking some A$$

it's good to see MAG doing decent numbers too

[TOO PAWNED]

really impressive, more then Uncharted 2 in it's first month in USA.

[The Killer]

they said halo ODST sold 2 millions in 24 hours and after 312 hours they still didnt reach 2 million mark!!

shows how reliable VGcharts.

[Blaze929]

am i the only one who has yet to see an ad for Mass Effect 2?

[BlackTar187]

but it was a epic like 5minute one.

Some people who the hell disagrees with what you said Blaze? Somepeople need to find out videogames arnt this serious

[tonsoffun]

ME2 certainly deserves such high sales, it's IMO one of the best games I've played in a long time. Right up there with Uncharted 2 and the like.

Kudos Bioware.

[Megaton]

I've seen a ton of Mass Effect 2 commercials. They've been running all month. The GameStop one with the toilet and the series of ads with each character. Seen them probably hundreds of times by now. Huge ad campaign.

[Faztkiller]

I've seen at least 30 gamestop mass effect 2 preorder ads

[Monchichi025]

You must not be a sportsfan then. I've seen tons on them including during last weeks NFC confernce championship game that broke viewership records. Mass Effect 2 was also the main sponsor of a big event I seen on tv lately, (can't remember what is was tho, LOL) and it surprised the heck out of me! I must say, I've seen the commercial over 25 times already....True Story!

[Hisiru]

Great numbers for ME2!

Also, MAG has a strong opening if you keep in mind that it's a new IP and online only game.

[mikeslemonade]

500,000 is alright for a 360 game. Normally they sell more. Mass Effect 2 is not a system seller. It's a sequel the game that already exists on 360 and there's hardcore gamers that haven't beaten Mass Effect 1, so how can you count on a casual gamer who has no systems to buy a 360 for Mass Effect 2.

[Bnet343]

Theirs been a sh*t ton of Mass Effect 2 commercials. The ones that say "Fight for the Lost" So yes their advertising has been good and constant.

[Cold 2000]

2010 starts off with a bang for the 360.

Bioware deserve this success, ME2 is a masterpiece.

[DARK WITNESS]

I have seen one every night sometimes 2, 3 times a night here in the uk on sky.

[StanLee]

I predict the game will do between 750K to 800K in January NPD report. That would be very impressive given it would have only been released for 1 week.

[gaffyh]

I haven't seen any adverts in the UK for this yet, and surprisingly we got a lot for Uncharted 2. Anyway, good numbers, as I said before I'd expect ~3 million lifetime sales for this one.

[Sitdown]

I agree...during the NFL games were also were I first saw the commercials...

[Mayle]

If you didn't see a mass effect 2 comercial (US) yet then you missed the best game in the playoffs. They played it during the final 2 minute warning in the Saints-Vikings game.

[Saaking]

It's mostly word of mouth. I personally haven't seen that many adds, but I'm telling everyone I know to buy it. This the best game since UC2.

[Ashby_JC]

If ONE person buys Mass Effect 2 along with a new xbox 360 then the game sold a system therefore its a system seller!

How many ppl will do just that is the question?

I purchased a NEW PS3 Slim with Uncharted 2. That makes U2 also a system seller.

There are ppl who have never played Uncharted 1. But yet I went out and got a BRAND NEW PS3 and a copy of Uncharted 2.

So it stands to believe that Mass Effect 2 is a great game that some ppl will go out and BUY a 360 for.

[CWMR]

-First of all, congratulations to Bioware. You guys created one of the best interactive experiences of all time.

To that I would just like to add that I agree with the guy above me that it will help sell more 360s. Of course it will. All good games help sell consoles to some degree or another.-

[Acidicpack]

This is great!!! ME2 deserves sales like this. Its an epic game and its story telling is truly outstanding. Bioware has done a great job of revamping the cover system and controls. I'm 37 hours into the game with no clear end in sight and I don't want it to end. Epic!!

[ClownBelt]

Oh crap...what a flop right 360 fanboys?

[N4PS3G]

thats what uncharted 2 did in a whole month :)

ME2 did in just 1 day.. FLOP :(

[Bungie]

lol droids got Owned

and that's just America

[AssassinHD]

But according to your ilk NA is all that matters. Don't start mentioning the rest of the world now.

Edit: By the way, "lol" has been played out since AOL 3.0. It just makes you look juvenile.

[agent027]

The hypocrisy is blinding isn't it?

Heaven forbid a PS3 exclusive sold this much-FLOP!
But when it's for the 360 and PC-it's great!

[cereal_killa]

Lmao bu bu bu but it didn't sell 2 mil in 1 day according to Muppet logic isn't that a FLOP /s

So the game doesn't do Halo/Gears numbers on the 1st day what a surprise but here comes the hypocrites bashing a Sony game to make there game seem superior because it sold more in 1 day more than the other but that doesn't surprise me that a multiplat sold more being on more than 1 system.

bu bu bu bu USA =/= WW /s again here's another hypocrite now its WW to gloat about make up you mind Muppet's because you can't change the rules in mid swing you try it with games on PC are not multiplates as long as it's not on the PS3, As long as your games beats a Sony AAA on day one sales it's ok if it doesn't sell 2 mil in one day and USA =/= WW only when applies when it's a 360 games......HYPOCRITES!!!!!

[ZombieRollz]

FLOPPITY FLOPPER MCFLOPPERSTEIN

[Montrealien]

And the whole NA market does not matter has been played out since the first days of N4G AssassinHD. Why do you guys keep on downplaying the largest videogame market in the world, I will never understand.

Oh, and it makes you look juvenile.

And seriously? Editing in that lol has been played out since AoE to one of the biggest self proclaimed trolls on the site just makes you look gullible.

see wat i did dur?

[AssassinHD]

Actually I see very clearly what you did there. You made yourself look foolish. I was not downplaying the NA numbers at all. I was simply pointing out the hypocrisy of Bungie's post. He made it a point to mention that those numbers are just the NA numbers, and he is correct. That being said though, if those numbers were those of a PS3 exclusive he would not be so inclined to consider the rest of the world. I live in the U.S., so I have no interest in downplaying the market.

For the record, I do not have a problem with pieces of plastic. I just have a problem with idiots.

Edit: I know that you will respond by telling me that I should not argue with idiots. You would be very much correct in doing so. I realize that it is a futile act, but sometimes I just can't help myself. It is a personal flaw.

[Montrealien]

And I have a problem with people taking idiots seriously. I guess we kinda share the same problem.

[AssassinHD]

I suppose that response is deserved. I will just go back to ignoring them.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

N4PS3G bubbles for you man that was a superior owning. You just got the owning of the month for January, congrats. I just read another article http://n4g.com/xbox360/News... where it showed 100k users on Live playing 8hrs after release and the droids screamed FLOP. Mass Effect 2 outsold UC2 worldwide in just one day LOL and this is just NA Droids.

Mass Effect 2 GOTY + great graphics + story + gameplay + sales = Microsoft Exclusive

Where are the droids now?

[CWMR]

-PS3 fanboys keep building this straw man that 360 fans said that a game is a flop unless it sells 2 million copies in the first day.

I have never heard a 360 fan say that. What I have heard 360 fans say is that the sales of Killzone 2 were not anywhere near as great as you would expect given the game's hype. Similar things were also said about a few other PS3 games. It was always said in the context of PS3 fanboys hyping a PS3 game to be better than certain 360 games and then failing to sell a fraction of the amount that those 360 games did. Those games were called flops only in relation to how much PS3 fanboys hyped those games.

So, please show me an article in which the majority of 360 fans were saying that a game must sell more than 2 million in one day or be considered a flop. Please try. I know you can't do it.-

[LEGENDARY PELON]

Mass Effect 2 >>>>> Unfarted 2 = "2080p game of the year edition by the way"

suck it ps3 fangirls!

This game is just warming us up for Splinter Cell Conviction, Alan Wake, Crackdownd 2, and Halo Reach! A really long warm up tho!

Microsoft=Xbox360=Fine example of perfect exclusives!!
Ex:ME2

Sony=Ps3=Mediocre movie watcher!!

[N4PS3G]

This is just VGchartz ..but anyways.. Sold as much in 1 day that Uncharted 2 in it's first month

[The Killer]

uncharted 2 is approaching 3 million copies sold now!!

a thing u need to know about ps3 titles, they sell even after a year of launch MGS4 and LBP is an example!!

while 360 titles sells mostly in the first 2 months! look at forza 3 and fable 2 sales!!!

also 360 not shooting games generally dont sell as well as shooting games, this shows that the 360 fan base are hardcore players!! while ps3 have the mix between hardcore and casual!

hardcore know the day of their game to be released while casuals buy their games when they are in a shopping mood in a gaming shop, they see a game that they like and buy, it could be there on shelves even a year!

[JeffGUNZ]

Stop it already. Halo 3 and Gears of War say hello. Both systems have games that will continue to sell well. Mass Effect 2 was a highly anticipated release and with 9.6 rating right now on metacritic, why wouldn't this game sell well? Stop trying to make it like the Sony fanbase just takes their time buying games. One thing Microsoft did well this generation is marketing. I saw about 30 Mass Effect 2 commercials and 0 MAG commercials. Advertising has always been Sonys weakness with games and if they don't pick it up and put money into it, this pattern will remain constant.

[DarthTigra]

Yep and Wii fit sold 150 thousand more then ME2 did day one. We can talk sales all day. They have nothing to do with the quality of anything. Beyonce, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy and Paramore all sell more then their counterparts for the most part. Does that mean that their albums are better then other artists whose music might not sell as much? If you want to praise this game talk about its Meta rating or the universal praise its getting from gamers. When you talk sales you just seem like a fanboy.

On topic: Really good numbers for this game. I know I account for one of those units. Best game I've played since MGS4. I'm 25 hours in and I haven't even started the second set of dossiers yet. The game really remembers everything you did in the first one. More then just the major choices. Wont spoil it for anyone but there have been several times during the course of the game when something minor I did affects the story. The combat is great the main story is better then the reviewers would have you to believe and the characters are as lifelike as you could hope for. Bioware did an amazing job. Anybody with a 360 should buy this game, and if you don't have a 360 buy one for it.

[Cold 2000]

Kind of funny you say PS3 games have long legs since when you check the charts, the only games still selling 2 years later are actually 360 games.

I mean Halo 3 a couple of months ago was outselling KZ2. THAT is what you call having long legs.

And RPG's seem to sell a whole lot more on 360 than PS3, Fable 3 alone probably sold more than every exclusive RPG on the PS3 combined.

[N4PS3G]

@The Killer

Please don't come here with the ps3 games long legs argument

Fable 2 sold over 3 millions as of Aug 2009 ;)
Forza 3 sold 1 million in the first month and sits in the UK top 10 for 10-15 consecutive weeks

Halo 3 sold over 10 millions copies as of May 2009 ;)
Gears 2 sold 5 million as of May 7 2009 ;)
ODST sold 2.5M in one month and now its over 4.5M

Ps3 games sell over time?

Killzone 2 has sold a little over 2M in a whole year..i don't see it in any top list..at the same time..Halo 3 released in 2007 ranked higher than killzone 2 in UK charts not so long ago. Guess witch game had LONGER legs ;)

[iHEARTboobs]

I'm glad I have both Uncharted and ME games. They're both great.

[IdleLeeSiuLung]

http://www.n4g.com/NewsCom-...

Seems MS/Bioware don't even need long sales leg with sales like that!!!

[sakura2009]

i thought vgcharts wasnt credible, so now its credible???????????????????

[TOO PAWNED]

I guess it's not credible when it is positive for 360, but when it is positive for PS3 it's credible

[BlackTar187]

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Solidus187-SCMilk]

They usually arnt that off on game sales, but are not 100% accurate either.

Its simply a pretty good indication of sales. zBut for the actual numbers for america you gotta wait for NPD.

I didnt need VG chartz to tell me as the ME2/MAG midnight launch at my local GS had a small line, compared to only around 10 people that were at both the U2/BL midnight launch and a good amount more than the L4D2/AC2 launch too.

[The Killer]

whats so funny to laugh at your comment in the other account???

[TOO PAWNED]

BlackTar187
I am PS3 guy but i call it how i see it. there is a lot of double standards on this site

[Montrealien]

Well too pawned..

you are aware that 2 wrongs don`t make a right, right? Just because some anonymous douchbages say something agaisnt something you like, it does not mean you have to go rain on the parade of things other people may like, that you don`t.

you are the last reference in moral values here on N4G.

[BlackTar187]

I have no idea what you are saying. To laugh at your comment in the other account? What the hell does that mean. Im sorry im feeling like a asshole today i will restrain myself.

Anyways if you dont own ME2 you are doing your self a disservice the game so far is epic and 10x better production value then the first one.

[RyuCloudStrife]

500,000 in the AMERICAS thats the AMERICAS theres a difference... from US only

[ForROME]

Well deserved, I will be getting a 360 just because of this game

[commodore64]

well isn't it funny how you garnered 4+ DISAGREES for simply stating something about yourself.

No actually, it ain't funny.
It's a sad reflection on the haters we have on n4g.

ME2 is a great game and as far as consoles go, exclusive to the 360.
No wonder people like the above good man are buying into such gaming goodness.

[DelbertGrady]

I will get the PC version for my 486 DX. And by DX I mean DX4-100 ;) *pops collar*

[Montrealien]

You know commodor, the only thing that makes me smile at the end of the day here on N4G? Outside in the real world, all the anonymous multiple account haters here on N4G would be a little group of nobody in a corner, all alone...

500 000 people seemed to have enjoyed this game on day one, myself uincluded. did yoyu have see 500 000 people in a field rushing 40 or so N4G anonymous kids? I know I havent, but it would be a hell of sight to see.

@soda

But does it have the Turbo button? 75mghz is off the hook!

[DelbertGrady]

@Montrealien - No turbo button but I've got a mad gaming Trackball that is sure to grant me tons of hs.

[Montrealien]

dude, I have that trackball, but man I could only dream to have the expert model...

*jealous*

[RyuCloudStrife]

I was SURPRISED how VG-CHARTZ always get reports as fake no problem this one tho right?

[sakura2009]

i was wondering that too

[DelbertGrady]

I still don't trust their numbers. If that's any comfort?

[Braineater2448]

I love how VGChartz numbers are good enough for game companies, newspapers, guinness book, magazines, but not good enough for you. Just realize that they arent 100% accurate and get over it.

[sakura2009]

game companies uses vgcharts? i thought they use npd <_<

[Braineater2448]

Tons of companies use VGChartz. But they use NPD as well. Square Enix, The Behemoth, Naughty Dog, NIS America, SEGA, etc. all follow VGChartz very closely.

[sakura2009]

they do?? how do u know???

[Braineater2448]

The Behemoth: http://devblog.thebehemoth....
Square Enix: http://www.square-enix.com/...
SEGA: http://www.vgchartz.com/pro...

Too lazy to find the others.

[Montrealien]

interesting. With all the flak VGchartz gets on this site, I am suprised companies take them seriously.

so, who is right? the 70 or so people on N4G that trash talk vgcharts on a daily basis, or the companies you pointed out?

[BeaArthur]

I would be one of them.

[Troll_Police]

One of those PC copies is mine. :)

[Cold 2000]

If you read the article you'll realise that they're talking about the 360 version hence the comparison with Fable 2.

Someone looks pretty stupid right now...

[Montrealien]

Playing it on a Viao laptop must be so harsh. Then again you can play it in the privacy of your own room right? Mom and dad are probably hogging the PS3 streaming Grey`s anatomy.

[KILLERAPP]

This is just the beginning, Q1 has many AAA games this years is going to be awesome, congrats to bioware and zipper both had great launches. Mass effect 2 will sell 2.5 to 3 million by the end of the year and MAG will reach 1.5 million before the year is over maybe even more for both.

[BeaArthur]

I think 1.5 is a bit optomistic, there are some far better games on PS3 that haven't reached 1.5. Also the lack of SP will turn some people off.

[agent027]

You bots are hypocrites...every one of you.

When PS3 exclusives didn't reach 1 million in one day, you bashed them to death. Now that this game sold pretty well, you're praising it?

A game doesn't need to do Halo numbers to sell well on a consistent basis.

With that said, congratulations. I'm getting this for my PC once I beat the first one I ordered. I was always interested in the Mass Effect series anyway.

[Montrealien]

How about I remind you guys of one little thing. These (bots) you guys seems to take so seriously are idiots. You reply to there retarded claims, they win, and that works both ways.

*runs into wall*

[mesh1]

nah droids ps3 games dont reach 1 million after moths of release . mass effect 500k in 1 day in 1 country haha its smases all ps3 release sales

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

buying1999 does Mass Effect 2 benefit Sony, MAC, or Linux in any way?

nope

[EvilCackle]

Seems credible. My GameStop's only a couple months old and it had a line going the length of the store at midnight.

[chidori666]

damn vg chat fake numbers.

cant wait for npd numbers ;)

[Nitrowolf2]

"If it doesn't do Halo number (2million) on day one its a flop"

This game is no flop to me, but bots should start calling it a flop
@1.1
doesn't 500000=500000?? ME2 just achived that faster, its funny though because when bots talk about ps3 first day sales they moan its a flop and sya it didn't reach a million in its first day, and yet when it happens to a 360 game you guys praise it like it had sold that many in day one.
and @bungie wasn't it you that said the rest of the world doesn't matter because you live in the us??? or was that another bo??

[120FPS]

I wonder how many of those people who bought MAG had no idea about it multiplayer only? and before i get disagreed with and booed, i was in HMV today and the staff were doing this marketing campaign trying to get people to have a go in store making sure they know it is only multiplayer (i had a go and as an FPS fan i had loads of fun,deffo an 8)

[Xflopped-3+6=09years]

Alone in the dark 2.....
I mean Alan WAIT, will do even worse numbers ;0

360 HAS NO GAMES ( in its final year )

yes I have no bubbles that's why I just posted

[120FPS]

And you have no bubbles ya spazz

[Karooo]

out of 20 million 360's in us, halo and cod did 2 million + ya bots only buy shooters though.

[Alan Wake]

More tham Flop Demon Souls heheheheheehhheheh

[MGOelite]

new ip vs a sequal... dont talk like a twat

[edhe]

Hope to see ME2 hit 3-4 million this year, hopefully a long tail if their DLC plans hold up.

If it moves to ps3, probably expect another million in life sales.

Original sold pretty decently whilst the generation was still fairly young, and i know a lot of folk that played a friend's copy [me included] so it looks like Bioware will have significant commercial success this time around.

Hope it pads out EA's coffers quite nicely too.

Regrettably i'll probably end up renting it instead of buying it, but i'll gladly get the Cerberus network to contribute directly to the company without having to shell out for the entire cost at retail.

[edhe]

Maybe they'll have a 'goty' out for christmas with bundled DLC, that'd help also :B

[True_Religion]

wow so 1 milion day1 including Europe!

Damn, uncharted2 need 1 week for that
KillZone 6 months, lol

Mass effect 2 as an RPG registered already 100k players online in 8 hours

Whats about MAG?? 1k players online?? LOOOOL

[ZombieRollz]

Hate it when N4G logs me into the GamerZone when I have defaulted myself to the Open Zone

[DARK WITNESS]

lol....

The only thing Flopping round here is your floppy butt hurt self.

edit; comment on your first comment.

[True_Religion]

This game will reach 3-4 Million in sales in the next 6 months and will beat PS3s strongest sold game right now- Metal Gear Solid 4

Mass Effect 2 = GOTY 2010, high scores, great sales, only possible with the best community on the world.

Droids = KIDS with no work who sit 24 hours on the internet, ruling all sites all over the world, cause they dont buy and dont play games.

PS3 = It only does patches, patches to fix patches (lol), installs and movies!

[happy_gilmore]

how the fcuk is mas defect 2 a crapbox exclusive?

alt-tab.

[CWMR]

-Well, you're not playing it on your PS3 are you? That is the definition of console exclusive = A game that causes butt hurt fanboys of the other console to go spend their money on a gaming PC just to play a game that owners of the first console get to enjoy on their CONSOLE.-

[Rocco Siffredi]

So Mass effect2 sold twice as much on DAY one as Demons Souls since its release, haha.

[Shane Kim]

I haven't red this much stupidity in a long time. I won't even bother writing down the reasons why ME2 sold more than Demons couse it would be a lifetime achievment for you to get it.

[BeardedGamerShow]

Big numbers, but not surprising. ME2 is the follow-up to a big game, so sequels tend to sell on the strength of their predecessors. MAG, on the other hand, is an online-only FPS original IP on a machine that usually is second-choice for online play. Tough sell, good game.

[ceedubya9]

I wasted about 6 hours playing these and Tatsunoko vs Capcom last night. Next thing I know its almost midnight! I've barely been able to scratch the surface of either of those 3 games.

[horndog]

nothing could be more true. I would give you bubbles if I could spare.

Awsome numbers for ME2. That's only one day and now that the weekend is here i would say that this game is going to come close to a million in a week. Easily reach a couple mills in no time.

[wingman32x]

Yes! Solid numbers for first day. It didn't do the 2 million+ on day one, but no games except the halo series and MW2 can pull that crap.

Mass Effect 2 will end up exceeding ME1's lifetime sales in the first week. If that isn't called a successful launch, I don't know what is.

As for GOTY 2010, I do think ME2 will win it. It's too early to say something like this, I know, but a 96 metacritic is pretty hard to beat. It'll be an interesting year in terms of GOTY, but ME2 has RPG of the year locked away.

[artsaber]

If any of you haven't noticed, look at your copy of Mass Effect2. Do you notice anything missing? Yes the "Only on XBOX 360" label is not on the box. More than likely, this game IS coming to the PS3. Before anyone says it is because it is on the PC too, if you look at your old Bioshock box, it has a label that says, " Only on XBOX 360 and Windows"(which was a blatant and complete Microsoft lie). I know I am not the only one who caught this?

They didn't even bother with the "Only" label on ME2, so it may be coming to PS3 sooner than we think.

[CWMR]

-I don't think they have done that for a while. At least not on games that are not published by Microsoft. I think people gave them too much slack after Bioshock eventually went to the PS3. It seems they only do it on first party games now.

I honestly would bet dollars to donuts that the Mass Effect trilogy will never go to the PS3. Bioware are working on other games that will be multiplatform on the PS3 and 360.-

[GrilledCheeseBook]

now i wonder how many sold off websites and Steam

[milf_sex]

Vgchartz reported that ODST sold 2 million WORLDWIDE on the day of launch...Then it was reported that ODSt passed 2 million IN AMERICA later...thats what that fiasco was about - I think atleast - correct me if I'm wrong...
And to people complaining that ME2 sold 2 million as of now - Thats XBOX360+PC numbers AND its sold to retailers - not sold to consumers by the retailers..there is a diffrence..Thats why numbers reported by MS,Sony, and other publishers (Not NPD though) differs from vgchartz numbers...