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Quote:One of the biggest launches of the year might have turned into the biggest launch, as Black Ops has finally hit retail stores today. Activision has pulled out all the stops to get the game into the hands of as many gamers as possible, and GameStop has been more than happy to help that goal along.

We set a new record with reservations on Call of Duty: Black Ops with more than any other title in GameStops history," confirmed GameStop senior vice president of merchandising, Bob McKenzie in a press release today.

McKenzie says that over 4,400 midnight launch events took place, representing 98% of all GameStop stores. That number directly correlates to the massive consumer interest seen in the game, as well as past experience with Modern Warfare 2. If pre-orders are to be taken seriously, then sales are expected to be bigger at launch, perhaps even overall.

"You look at the history of Call of Duty and they've had the dual studios for so many years that this is not out of sequence," says McKenzie. "The consumer ... is used to and accepting of the fact that Treyarch does one and then it's [Infinity Ward] doing the next. I think that if that cycle was broken... then I'd have a little more hesitation. But, again, everything is in line."

"Each one of these, they get so much bigger that you kind of look at it... thinking each one can't be bigger than the prior year," he says. "But really, for over 12 weeks we've been tracking at a number that surpassed last year's."

"I think, without question, if it wasn't outpacing a year ago, or if it was just within the last one or two weeks, you could say 'well, okay, maybe it was the marketing spend that's increasing awareness.' But both [Black Ops and MW2] have had big awareness," McKenzie adds.

"I think it's a loyal fanbase for the franchise and [Activision has] done a great job of really getting out in front of it and really making this an event," he adds. "I'm convinced it'll be the biggest launch that we've ever had, that the industry has ever seen."

[Thanks Gamasutra]