Borderlands 2 shifts 1.5 million copies in US launch month, trumps original by 234%

If you're worried that Borderlands 2 might not receive a sequel - maybe you were recently hit on the head, or you're perturbed by the revelation that no one's started working on one yet - let these extraordinary sales figures (interpreted by the folks at NeoGaf ) put your mind to rest. According to a report from market research company NPD, Gearbox's sequel shifted 1.48 million copies in the US across September, 234% higher than the original game managed in its own launch month back in 2009. On a spreadsheet in 2K's offices, someone just ticked the 'Sequel?' box. They may even have drawn a smiley face.

Compared to the latest Madden, however, Borderlands 2 is the equivalent of that kid in an American neighbourhood flogging homemade lemonade. With a whopping 2.55 million copies sold in September alone, the American Football sim has broken its own record for launch-month sales. EA must be patting themselves on their behinds as we speak. Of course, as with any of these statistics, it's worth noting that the NPD still doesn't count digital sales, so those numbers should be taken with a pinch of salt. Still, it's good news for Gearbox, and great news for fans of Borderlands 2.

Tom loves exploring in games, whether it’s going the wrong way in a platformer or burgling an apartment in Deus Ex. His favourite game worlds—Stalker, Dark Souls, Thief—have an atmosphere you could wallop with a blackjack. He enjoys horror, adventure, puzzle games and RPGs, and played the Japanese version of Final Fantasy VIII with a translated script he printed off from the internet. Tom has been writing about free games for PC Gamer since 2012. If he were packing for a desert island, he’d take his giant Columbo boxset and a laptop stuffed with PuzzleScript games.