Figures released by Activision Blizzard confirm that the company’s recently released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the biggest entertainment launch in history, breaking all first and five-day box office, book and video game sales records.

Arguably the most anticipated game of the year, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 grossed US$550 million within the five days following its November 10th release. This beats out the previous video-game record holder for the same period, last year’s Grand Theft Auto IV, which grossed US$500 million in the same period in selling 6 million units.

By comparison, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince boasts the highest worldwide five-day period box-office figures for a film, grossing US$394 million worldwide in its first five days of release.

Modern Warfare 2 has also broken a number of first-day entertainment sales figures, including the largest reported opening first-day domestic box office gross figures, previously held by The Dark Knight (US$66.4 million) and the largest reported first-day worldwide video game sales record, previously held by Grand Theft Auto IV (3.6 million units, US$310 million). It also beats out the largest reported first-day book sales in dollars, previously held by Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows (US$220 million).

The game has also broken Xbox Live records, with more than 5.2 million multiplayer hours logged playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on its first day of release alone. The title also set a new day-one record of more than 2.2 million unique players online simultaneously on launch day.

"In just five days of sell through Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has become the largest entertainment launch in history and a pop culture phenomenon," said Robert Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard, Inc. "The title's success redefines entertainment as millions of consumers have chosen to play Modern Warfare 2 at unprecedented levels rather than engage in other forms of media."