Gears 3 moves 3 million first week, franchise hits $1B sales

Microsoft has announced that Gears of War 3 has sold 3 million units during its first week on the market.

Announced by Major Nelson on his blog, the figure "cements Gears 3 as the biggest game of 2011," and has helped push the franchise beyond $1 billion in lifetime sales, making it the first Xbox 360 exclusive franchise to eclipse the billion dollar milestone.

"In just one week, Gears 3 has already grossed more than any 2011 video game to date," wrote Major Nelson.

“Gears of War was the first killer app for Xbox 360, and the series has continued to contribute directly to the overall success of the platform ever since,” said Microsoft CVP Phil Spencer. “Gears of War 3 kicked off the biggest Christmas period in Xbox history, setting the standard for the kind of amazing, action-packed experiences gamers should expect on Xbox 360 this year.”

The game's debut topped the UK charts, making it the seventh biggest launch on 360 to date. It was also the 12th largest individual format launch for the region, and figures in the UK have it close to selling as many copies at launch as Gears of War 1 and 2 combined during the same periods.

Gears 3 was released worldwide on September 20, with more than 22,000 midnight madness launch events held for it.