Blizzard Entertainment’s latest blockbuster, Diablo IV, has set a new record by grossing over $666 million in sales within the first five days of its launch on June 6. The game has spectacularly outperformed the combined worldwide box office of all horror films released in 2023. If Diablo IV were a movie, it would undoubtedly have the biggest launch week of 2023.
Diablo IV’s roaring success extends a commendable winning streak for Activision Blizzard. Last year, Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II emerged as the highest-grossing entertainment launch, surpassing $1 billion in worldwide sales in the first 10 days of release. In addition, Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 attracted 25 million players within 10 days of its launch. Also, King’s iconic Candy Crush has held the top-grossing franchise spot in U.S. app stores for over a decade.
These achievements continue to drive the gaming industry to new heights, with approximately 2.9 billion people (more than one in every three globally) playing a video game in 2021, according to an EY gaming industry survey. PwC’s latest outlook on the sector indicates that gaming is shaping the future of digital advertising, entertainment, and brand experiences.
A glance at Diablo IV’s first week reveals astounding numbers:
- 276 billion total monsters killed
- 317 million player deaths
- 276 million total hours played since early access
- More than 166 million player parties created
- 5.8 million total deaths caused by The Butcher
- 430,000 players killed in PvP battle
- Ranked No. 1 on Twitch from early access on June 1 through June 9
In addition to the above, players are competing in the Hardcore race to Level 100 without dying for a chance to become immortalized.