GameStop boss Tony Bartel has revealed that Call of Duty: Black Ops II has broken pre-order records for the retail giant.
The executive also revealed that the military shooter is on track to become the company’s biggest ever software launch.
“Consumer anticipation for Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 is tremendous. We are seeing the highest pre-orders in history,” said Bartel.
“With its current pace, this Call of Duty is on track to break records and is likely to be our biggest game launch of all time.”
The last few Call of Duty games have all smashed records for the biggest entertainment launch of all time. Last year’s entry, Modern Warfare 3, achieved an estimated sell-through of $400, and sold over 6.5 million copies in the U.S. and U.K. in just 24 hours.
Black Ops II takes place in two time periods: the 1980s and a near-futuristic setting of 2025. Original hero Alex Mason returns for the Cold War-era missions, while his son, David, features in the futuristic setting.
As a first for the franchise, Black Ops II will feature branching storylines, with players able to influence the outcome of the current mission and the overall story depending on the choices they make. Zombies also return, as does a comprehensive multiplayer that continues to tweak the foundation set by Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
Call of Duty: Black Ops II is scheduled to ship on November 13 for PlayStation 3, PC and Xbox 360.