World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Sells 4.7 Million Copies in First Month, Breaking Another Record

After World of Warcraft: Cataclysm was declared "the fastest-selling PC game of all time" by publisher Blizzard Entertainment in December 2010, it was clearly only a matter of time before a new staggering boast was issued.

Blizzard takes the lead this time, announcing today that the MMORPG expansion pack has now set "a new record for monthly PC-game sales," selling-through a grand 4.7 million copies since launching on December 9.

The figure is "based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners," Blizzard explains, and includes digital distribution. 3.3 million of those copies were sold on launch day alone, earning Cataclysm that 'fastest-selling' record.

"We've been floored by the community's response so far," said Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime, "and we'd like to thank them for their continued passion and support for World of Warcraft, and for helping Cataclysm reach this incredible milestone."

World of Warcraft has over twelve million active "subscribers," though Blizzard's definition of the term is not limited to those paying a monthly fee, as one might expect.