Battlefield 3 Sees 5 Million Units Sold in First Week

Electronic Arts has tallied the numbers and confirmed that its recent Battlefield 3 first person shooter has reached 5 million units sold in its first week, becoming the fastest-selling game in EA's history.

Battlefield 3 was anticipated by many, with EA revealing before its release that almost 3 million pre-orders were registered, while 10 million units of the game were shipped all over the world in order to ensure everyone got their chance to buy the game.

Now, after almost a week has passed, EA estimates that more than 5 million copies of the game were sold in its first week, making it the most successful release in the company's history.

“From Tokyo to Los Angeles, Sydney to London, millions of fans have been playing all weekend long -- we are overwhelmed by the global response to Battlefield 3,” said Patrick Soderlund, executive vice president of the EA Games Label.

“It is extremely gratifying to deliver an entertainment experience that delights our fans, and to have the opportunity to introduce new people to the franchise. Already, we are seeing unprecedented play times and online activity which is very rewarding. This launch solidifies Battlefield as a leading entertainment brand.”

EA also mentioned that, while a huge amount of people jumped straight into the multiplayer mode of Battlefield 3, its servers performed admirably, managing to deliver a stable experience 98.9% over the last weekend.

Battlefield 3 is now expected to receive its first downloadable content pack this December, in the form of the Back to Karkand DLC, which is going to bring new maps, vehicles, weapons, as well as achievements and trophies that can be earned by eager players.

The add-on will be given away for free to those who bought the Battlefield 3 Limited Edition, but regular players will need to pay for it when it's officially released on the market.