BioShock Infinite Had Best First Month in Franchise History

Though BioShock Infinite is only the third game in the series, the 3.7 million copies it sold during its first month of release, which makes it the most successful entry to date.

We quite enjoyed BioShock Infinite, and aren't surprised in the least the sequel has been so successful after just one month. As one of the sure contenders for game of the year honors, its commercial success has only been amplified by the critical acclaim doled out by outlet after outlet.

What's interesting though is how thrilled Take-Two, 2K, and Irrational appear to be with the 3.7 million copies sold. If you remember, Tomb Raider also moved more than 3 million copies during its first month, which was also a franchise record. However, Square Enix deemed the game a failure for not living up to expectations. It was estimated Tomb Raider needed to sell some 5 million copies in its first month to merely break even. What it shows is first, how Take-Two has managed and reasonable expectations, and second, how drastically different Japanese and North American publishers are approaching the business.

Both titles should go on to sell plenty of copies in the coming months, but Square may never call Tomb Raider a success, and there's a chance this "failure" could result in there not being another game. Irrational however can break out the champagne, and start celebrating another triumph.