FIFA 12 enjoys record-smashing global launch

FIFA 12 has sold-through 3.2 million units across all platforms since its September 27 debut, making it the biggest release in the history of sports games and the number one global videogame launch of 2011, according to preliminary internal estimates from publisher Electronic Arts.

Sell-through is thought to be up 23 per cent over last year's FIFA 11 launch. The iPhone and iPad versions of the new game have shifted 879,000 units, with the former becoming the top-grossing app for Apple’s device on 30 worldwide storefronts.

EA also said FIFA 12 is the highest-rated sports game this console generation, based on Metacritic data from October 3, when the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions held ratings of 92 and 91 respectively (both had slipped by a single point at the time of going to press).

Additionally, the company said October 1 was the busiest day for online gaming in EA Sports’ history. Fans registered more than ten million EA Sports game sessions, including almost eight million games of FIFA 12. To date, gamers have already played over 200 million minutes of FIFA 12 online.

"FIFA 12 is a stunning achievement by our team at EA Canada," said Andrew Wilson, executive vice president of EA Sports. "The massive FIFA online community has overwhelmingly connected to the new live services in the game, including EA Sports Football Club, and we intend to keep them engaged all season long as FIFA 12 follows the heartbeat of the football season."

Released for PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Mac, Wii, PS2, 3DS, PSP, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, FIFA 12 has been localised into 18 languages and is available in 51 countries.

Earlier this week, EA's football juggernaut shot straight to number on the UK all-formats software chart after recording the third-biggest domestic game launch in history, ahead of Grand Theft Auto IV and beaten only by Call Of Duty titles Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2.

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