Modern Warfare 2 hits 25 million unique users

Infinity Ward director of communications Robert Bowling has announced that the total number of unique users for Activision's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has hit 25 million players.

Writing on Twitter, Bowling also stated that Modern Warfare 2 downloadable content details would be released this week.

Modern Warfare 2 was the best-selling title of 2009, with 11.86 million units sold in the U.S., UK and Japan alone, comfortably ahead of second placed title Wii Sports Resort on 7.57 million.

Also a critical hit, the title became the latest videogame to proclaim itself the biggest entertainment launch in history, with more than $1 billion in retail sales by November 2010.

The game's five-day gross of $550 million exceeded that of previous media record holders Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($394 million) and Grand Theft Auto IV ($500 million).

Despite this success the last few weeks have been tumultuous for developer Infinity Ward, with the shock sacking of studio heads Jason West and Vince Zampella for unspecified "insubordination".

The pair are now suing Activision amidst accusations of "astonishing arrogance and unbridled greed" and suggestions that the legal row could postpone the release of future entries in the series.

The usually outspoken Bowling has yet to comment on the situation.

A recent statement from Activision suggests that there are currently three new Call of Duty titles under production: an unnamed 2010 project from series regulars Treyarch (rumoured to have a Vietnam or Cold War setting), a 2011 "action adventure" spin-off from new studio Sledgehammer Games and a third project thought to be developed by franchise originators Infinity Ward.