Time came out with an article today in which they reported some very interesting numbers from from the pre-purchase and pre-order launch over the weekend. You might read the title of this post and think, “Pre-Launch record, uhm ok?,” however, this record is pretty significant seeing as it means 400,000 were playing online during the Headstart not the official launch. Then you also have to factor in some of the other numbers contained within the article.  

When it comes to pre-purchase, those people that put their money down on one of the three available additions of the game, the game sold very well.

In any case, publisher NCsoft is sharing preliminary numbers for all you MMO comparison wonks: Over one million players paid to play the game ($60 standard, $150 collector’s, and it’s free-to-play thereafter) during the three-day early start. And that’s not counting the one-day preorders or, obviously, whatever sales the game enjoys today as it officially launches.

That’s right, one-million people pre-purchased the game and that is a very strong number! But that number is vastly larger than the 400,000 user number mentioned as the title of this article. What does that number represent?

So that’s sales, but how many people are actually playing this thing? During the headstart phase, NCsoft says demand for the game topped 400,000 simultaneous online players, calling it a “record-breaking” figure for an MMO pre-launch.

At the peak of game play there have been a very substantial amount of players all on at the same time. Check out the full article here for further information on this amazing feat, and congratulations to ArenaNet on a very successful launch!