Fallout 3 ships 4.7 million in first week

Bethesda proclaims that postapocalyptic role-playing game for 360, PS3, PC topped $300 million in sales at launch.

Last week's launch of Bethesda Softworks' after-the-bomb role-playing game Fallout 3 was, appropriately enough, explosive. The publisher took a victory lap today by announcing some early statistics for the game. Bethesda said that it shipped roughly 4.7 million copies of Fallout 3 around the world last week. Sales of that massive stockpile surpassed the $300 million mark.

Both of those figures stack up reasonably well with last year's release of Halo 3. Microsoft's heavily hyped first-person shooter posted sales of $300 million in its first week on analyst-estimated shipments of 4.2 million. It's worth noting that Halo 3 was an Xbox 360 exclusive, whereas Fallout 3 is available on the 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, and the installed user bases of those platforms have increased significantly in the intervening year.

Fallout 3 was released on October 28 in North America and October 31 in Europe. It may receive another sales boost in the near future, given that Bethesda has planned a Japanese launch for the game on December 4.

For more on Fallout 3, check out GameSpot's review.

260 Comments

  • adamchuff

    Posted Jan 7, 2009 11:31 am PT

    this game is amazing! i sat like a zombie and played this game for hours and hours on end. i have not even beaten it because i have been doin all the side missons and exploring everything. there is so much to do in this game its amazing. but i made a ignorant choice of trading it in to gamestop... i wish i never did. im getting it back this friday because the game is amazing on every level of cool. i cant believe how good it is. i played morrowind and i didnt like it so when i popped it in my xbox i was pretty much in shock because i didnt know how such a great game could be made by the same company that made a game i hated.

    flameboy.... you must not have played it bro. yeah its got bugs, but if you play it, you would realize that the enemies have life bars. and alot of people play the game in 3rd person kinda like the orig. fallout games were. and to call it a carbon copy! you gotta be a ignorant look at all the people giving it thumbs up your one of the only ones saying it sucked. why even bother reading something about a game you dont like? its like the stupid fan boy arguments about xbox and playstation... i have played both systems and they are both great. anyway quit bashing a game you dont play...

  • daren16

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 3:22 pm PT

    Well, this is by far one of the best games I've ever played. There's tons more re-playability than BioShock which was actually a very linear game. I can spend hours just exploring and ****ing **** up in the wasteland and have fun the entire time. I don't even need to play the story to have a blast playing Fallout 3. It's definitely my choice for GOTY

  • cjdaweasel

    Posted Nov 17, 2008 12:34 pm PT

    Fallout isn't the best game I've ever played, nor is it the best game that I've played recently (that honor goes to Bioshock). However, despite its bug-ridden nature, it was great. I'm glad to see they're making money on it. I'd love to see another.

  • gordanfreeman53

    Posted Nov 16, 2008 8:31 am PT

    Good News.

  • Niner0

    Posted Nov 16, 2008 7:07 am PT

    Yeah, Fallout 3 is a blast to play

  • Rockingtime75

    Posted Nov 15, 2008 8:11 pm PT

    Haven't had the money to buy this yet, and I can't wait. The sales have far exceeded my expectations for how well this game would do.

  • snakes3425

    Posted Nov 15, 2008 6:11 pm PT

    Fallout 3 has game of the year written all over it

  • beedouk

    Posted Nov 15, 2008 1:06 pm PT

    i agree with tony

  • tony382

    Posted Nov 14, 2008 6:12 pm PT

    This game should win game of the year. But it probably won't, that stupid Grand Theft Auto crap will. Don't ask me how this game gets a 9 and that crap gets a 10. Doesn't make any sense.

  • burback2

    Posted Nov 14, 2008 6:09 pm PT

    Fallout 3 is unbelivable. I had a hard time choosing between FC2, GoW2 and this. I gotta say, I made an excellent decision. I have not been so engrossed in a game since... phh I don't even know.
    I just absolutely love it I played for 8hours and 54 mins when I first popped er in and I almost NEVER play games that long. In my opinion even better than Oblivion. Hopefully people keep buying it because everyone needs to experience this game.

  • damaster101

    Posted Nov 14, 2008 5:02 pm PT

    Still haven't got it yet i thought i might get into oblivion first before i move on on to Fallout and by the way oblivion is still addictive as hell so i can only imagine great things coming from Fallout 3.

  • KingOfCrunks

    Posted Nov 13, 2008 2:20 pm PT

    So why did it blow my friend? Im hoping for a very impressive ending. If not..THE HELL WITH THOS GAME. xD

  • hector530

    Posted Nov 13, 2008 10:46 am PT

    "The ending blows for this game.... Very disappointed.."

    all of you guys know that the game has ALOT of endings i liked mine.

  • engion3

    Posted Nov 13, 2008 9:25 am PT

    since when are "hardcore" gamers people that own consoles?

  • Decko5

    Posted Nov 13, 2008 5:49 am PT

    oh wow
    so what is going on here
    casuals becoming hardcore?

  • division_9 posted Nov 13, 2008 5:11 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    division_9

    Posted Nov 13, 2008 5:11 am PT (hide)

    Oblivion with guns, nah.

  • ItWasTravis

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 9:11 pm PT

    I think it deserves even more money, the game is hands down epic.

  • Merl57

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 5:36 pm PT

    great game!

  • ShadowJake

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 4:16 pm PT

    this game kicks major ass. people who are saying it sucked down below are obviously fanboys of other games or have just never played it. I have not played fallout 1 or 2 and I have only played Morrowind so i am not being biased and i am not overexaggerating when i say that fallout 3 could be the game of the year. It really is that good. Just play it. Would there have been 4.7 million copies shipped if it wasn't a great game? (P.S. I bought the PC version and my cousin bought the PS3 version and there are no differences that i have noticed as far as gameplay, graphics, and sound go)

  • SalarianChemist

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 12:23 pm PT

    The Xbox 360 version of Fallout 3 is quite a bit better than the Playstation 3 version in terms of graphics, and also because there is exclusive content on the way for the Xbox 360.

  • Saije

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 11:53 am PT

    From someone who played and loved the first two I have to say, Fallout 3 was a worthy successor, The game showed a level of polish and personality that I felt Oblivion lacked. Its actually quite amusing, I think the Oblivion style of game play works better for the Fallout Universe then for the Universe it was intended for. I can't imagine a much better endeavor at bringing the Fallout universe to the modern age.

  • Gromul

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 11:37 am PT

    Funny how people go all out religious over Fallout 1+2. They were great games indeed, but not Gods. Sheesh.

    Fallout 3 is a great game in its own right and I for one am glad they've made it. Hopefully the mod sdk will be released soon and it will be even better (small mods are already making it better, but a sdk would be nice)

  • bedsheet73

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 8:31 am PT

    Fallout 3 was absoloutley brilliant. got the special edition for $30 and it was excllent. good gameplay, questionable graphics but excellent RPG elements. played 138 hours and still havent got to the edge of the map!!!!

  • havocmerc

    Posted Nov 12, 2008 3:38 am PT

    That's no surprise to me. From what I have been reading it seems to be an excellent game for serious RPG lovers like myself.

  • goatheadman1

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 4:15 pm PT

    I say they deserved all that money because they put alot of work into it...even though i didnt like Fallout3 that much (ending sucked)

  • Andrew0824

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 1:20 pm PT

    Damn! $300M in one week? Well, good for them. They deserve it. It's a fantastic game. I'm a big Elder Scrolls fan, but I have to admit that Fallout 3 is really better than Oblivion or Morrowind in pretty much every way.

  • flameboy118 posted Nov 11, 2008 11:44 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    flameboy118

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 11:44 am PT (hide)

    @jessica73, nexeus

    yeah.. as faithful to the original as a 3D RPG could be.. gee, it's not like interplay had an isometric 3D pre-alpha build of fallout 3 which was much more faithful. jesus.. the stupidity!

    play the game of the year before i comment? MGS4. that's how you update a game. not fallout 3. funnily enough i have played it. and guess what? it's fallout.. but it's an FPSRPG... further, it's not even a good one (play deus ex, system shock 2). why isnt it a good one? terrible animation, both facially and on the whole. FPS combat with a cheap as chips 'optional' VATS system.

    in short, stop being the douchebag guys i know who buy it because it's gory and has good graphics, before saying 'you should like this too... it's fallout, one of your favourite games'. no. it's not. you're like the people who buy soldier of fortune payback 'omgomgomg blood and good graphics!'. seriously. shut up. there's no gameplay here at all where oblivion failed, this failed too. did i mention that the same results could be achieved by modding the oblivion engine? well, all you idiots who say 'no', you obviously can, because that's what fallout 3 is -> it uses the same engine as oblivion. 2 years between fallout 3 and TES 4, utterly different games, they use the same engine. crytek, a good developer? 04s farcry to 07s crysis uses an entirely new engine. that's because crytek aren't in the business of making cheap, dirty money with low effort, and while appealing to douchebags, not the fallout fan.

  • Excall

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 10:37 am PT

    Yeah i was pretty upset that they were going fps over isometric turn-based gameplay...but I had to buy it cause its fallout...and the game FEELS like fallout and as much as i want to hate Bethesda for changing the core of one of my favorite rpg's, they created something i have poured countless hours into...because it is fun.

    Don't hate it. Play it.

  • HalfBak3dM0nkey

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 8:43 am PT

    Play this game if you haven't already!!!
    It is AWESOME!

  • Nexeus

    Posted Nov 11, 2008 4:04 am PT

    wow... you people whining about this game... Play it. Its not what you claim it to be. Its a FPS/RPG that comes off so flawlessly you'll simply be left crying in the wake of its awesomeness... Seriously, play the game of the year before you comment on it

  • jessica73

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 7:43 pm PT

    You have no idea what you're talking about. I have 67 hours into my first character, and I can tell you, Fallout IS an RPG and is as faithful to the originals as a 3D version can be. Definite GOTY contender.

  • jessica73

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 7:42 pm PT

    You have no idea what you're talking about. I have 67 hours into my first character, and I can tell you, Fallout IS an RPG and is as faithful to the originals as a 3D version can be. Definite GOTY contender.

  • racerx719

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 5:57 pm PT

    thenephariouson, You have obivously not played this game because you have no idea what your talking about.. This game incorporates a FPS into an RTS RPG .. Think Obivion meets MadMax

  • flameboy118 posted Nov 10, 2008 2:08 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    flameboy118

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 2:08 pm PT (hide)

    @ed1923

    so you say that games which 'truly' stick to gameplay don't sell? so you're saying that one of starcraft 2 and diablo 3 will sell under, say 3 million?

    didn't think so - based on starcraft 1 selling 8 million, that's a ridiculous accusation. and thus a ridiculous statement you gots there

    besides, there's nothing intrinsically wrong with updating gameplay. it's just when a mod of your previous game could have achieved the same results, you know that something stinks. fallout 3 for example

  • Chief_Kuuni

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 2:02 pm PT

    I can't wait to pick this game up, looks great

  • thenephariouson posted Nov 10, 2008 9:04 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    thenephariouson

    Posted Nov 10, 2008 9:04 am PT (hide)

    Turn Based games suck ****, emptying half an SMG clip into a rat only to reduce its life by '5 Points', for it to then take a go at you and remove 10 points...yaawwwwwwnnnnnnn, stick the turn based gumph to the japanese markets, they love all that **** : )

  • Ed1923

    Posted Nov 9, 2008 3:53 pm PT

    flameboy118 shut up jesus get with the times if they "truly" stuck to the original gameplay it would of got them no where people don't want to play them types of games, there not bad they just won't be successful ; at least bethesda manged to keep a dying universe alive.

  • saraphin

    Posted Nov 9, 2008 1:58 pm PT

    Game of the year, hands down. Kudos to Bethesda for not dropping the ball.

  • Smoothy08

    Posted Nov 9, 2008 1:37 pm PT

    I am going to buy this game on thursday next week when i get my wages looks awesome

  • skulldog99

    Posted Nov 9, 2008 10:07 am PT

    I've been wanting this game for a while now and its sales just improve the moral. Go Bethesda!

  • flameboy118 posted Nov 9, 2008 4:15 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    flameboy118

    Posted Nov 9, 2008 4:15 am PT (hide)

    ' I also have Wold of Goo. You people need to play that game. '
    YES!

    when people say that fallout fans are bragging about the sales, fallout fans don't line fallout 3.. fallout fans like 1 & 2, the fallout games. fallout fans don't like oblivion's wasteland mod, because it isn't a fallout game

  • aupipboy

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 9:49 pm PT

    I got FO3...love it. I also have Wold of Goo. You people need to play that game. Or at the very least, download the demo.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 9:01 pm PT

    WOW good to hear, I think the game rocks

  • ctg867

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 8:26 pm PT

    Yea, because we ALL know that shipped = sold. Does anybody remember how Microsoft managed to get to 10 million units shipped in 2006? They stuff the channels, over shipped to retailers, and then the units sat in shelves for a few months.

    Not saying that's the case, but you gotta take things into consideration. Besides, it's not like they won't be crushed by Gears 2 next month. The only reason why its early worldwide sales wouldn't match up is because Gears is 360 exclusive while Fallout is on three platforms.

    It's great news for Bethesda and the future of the Fallout series, but you guys gotta take into consideration the full spectrum of gaming this holiday and why things are they way they are. If I hear one more Fallout fanboy brag about "4.7 million units" in another news story I'm gonna save sometime and shoot myself.

  • supermanme

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 7:23 pm PT

    I got Fallout 3 last Tuesday, haven't stopped playing since save sleeping and eating. While there are a few spots I've come across where there's a stray piece of ground jutting up above another, my only real complaint about this game is that it ends after you complete the story. Otherwise, it's one of the best 360 games I've ever played.

  • flameboy118 posted Nov 8, 2008 1:42 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    flameboy118

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 1:42 pm PT (hide)

    @zeekx I think you'll find that people who flame stuff generally say 'this game sucks your mum, you suck if you like this game'

    I, on the other hand, am saying that it's fallout crammed into oblivion, has poor combat as FPSs go (and this game is an fps), poor animation, bugs, a short main quest, and is a bastardisation of a once great franchise. nobody can deny that bethesda, instead of expanding on a great franchise and making a great RPG, have bought the rights to fallout, before stuffing it into their previous game to make money

  • thenephariouson

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 1:06 pm PT

    anyone met the 'Mysterious Stranger' yet???

  • Precyse

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 12:28 pm PT

    So far its pretty cool game but i've only logged in 15 or so hours.

  • CrzyFool67

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 11:59 am PT

    I waited for this game for nearly a decade, I want to write a full review every day, but I simply haven't finished it, and quite frankly I don't want to. Bethesda got it right on so many levels I can't even begin to explain . . . full review to come. BethSoft deserves all of their success, they took their time and got it right.

  • zeekx

    Posted Nov 8, 2008 11:00 am PT

    And here I thought flameboy was just a dumb name but lo and behold it actually represents his position as resident idiot flamer.

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