Gears of War 3 sells 3m copies in week one

Microsoft has confirmed that Gears of War 3 sold 3m units in its first week on the market.

Epic’s highly rated shooter was released worldwide on Tuesday September 20th and was ushered in by over 22,000 midnight retail launches around the world.

Microsoft adds that the game has already grossed more than any other release so far in 2011.

The Gears of War franchise has also claimed another prize – it is the first Xbox 360 exclusive IP to generate in excess of $1bn.

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,” Microsoft’s corporate VP Phil Spencer stated.

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.”