New 'Call of Duty' breaks last year's sales record

Call of Duty: Black Ops broke entertainment records this week by raking in $360 million in its first 24 hours on sale, a dramatic and lucrative indication that video games have cemented their place as mainstream entertainment on a par with movies, books and music.For the hordes of devoted fans who waited at midnight Monday to get their hands on the military shooter, this is hardly a surprise. For them, popping the new Call of Duty into a game console is the equivalent of turning on the TV to watch the Super Bowl or sitting back with a tub of popcorn to watch the latest blockbuster movie. But while movies happen at you, video games allow the user to affect the story's outcome. That hands-on experience and interactions with other players fit the emerging social-media era where consumers demand a voice in whatever they do. Across two years, with a budget well in the tens of millions of dollars, the developers of Black Ops created a world that immerses players in Cold War-era battles with settings ranging from 1960s Cuba to Vietnam and the Soviet Union. Its intricate graphics and details down to the gruesome sound a knife makes when pulled from an enemy's neck are amplified in players' homes through big-screen TV sets and powerful speakers. The video game audience has expanded considerably in the last five years, reaching women, young children and even senior centers. But the people who flock to Call of Duty and other shooters are still primarily young men, just not as young as some would think. The average U.S. game player is 34 years old, according to the Entertainment. A big part of the appeal of Call of Duty is its multiplayer feature, meaning gamers can fight against someone across the country or on the other side of the world. Black Ops went on sale Tuesday in North America and the UK. It costs $60 and works on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gaming consoles, and PCs. With that cost, games have an easier time setting dollar sales records than much less expensive movies or music. The game is rated M for mature, meaning it's not meant for kids under 17. 'Call of Duty has delivered perhaps the gold standard experience of battle.