Just like death and taxes, you can usually rely on a Call of Duty game to top the sales charts each year. The various entries in Activision’s warfare simulation franchise have mostly done just that, going all the way back to 2009. This year’s a bit different. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III has fallen to second place, as reported by media research firm Circana. According to the list, Hogwarts Legacy topped the charts for 2023, selling around 22 million copies. This is despite the not insignificant controversy the game generated, both by its association with franchise creator JK Rowling — who has leveraged her celebrity position to espouse anti-trans views — but also tropes within the game itself which some (but not all) saw as drawing from antisemitic caricatures. Still, fans had been waiting for a high-quality AAA game set at the wizarding school for decades and Hogwarts Legacy delivered on the promise of a true open-world Harry Potter title. The sales obviously reflect that. As a matter of fact, there have been only two other occasions in which Call of Duty was knocked from first place. Those were the years in which Grand Theft Auto V (2013) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) were released. Both Rockstar titles absolutely dominated the conversation upon launch, becoming bona-fide cultural touchstones. Hogwarts Legacy, while very good, hasn’t approached that level of buzz, so maybe this data illustrates that players are finally getting sick of Call of Duty, or maybe it's... Continue reading at 'Engadget'
[ Engadget | 2024-01-18 19:16:41 UTC ]
The release of the latest Hunger Games film, backlist titles such as Harry Potter and success... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2013-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A customer representing the Poarch Band of Creek Indians walked into Barnes & Noble in Spanish Fort, Ala., and bought an entire display in the children's section. As a result, nearly 500 children in the tribe will receive at least one new book this holiday season. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For anyone struggling with choosing the perfect literary present this holiday season, there’s a large, vocal, and opinionated group that just might be able to help: the more than one million subscribers to the Books category on Reddit, the popular social media Web site. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Jennifer Brenninger of the Doylestown Bookshop in Doylestown, Pa., talks about several books she's enjoying handselling during the holiday season. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The group Improv Everywhere sent an 11-year-old dressed as Harry Potter to Penn Station to ask commuters and workers where he could find Platform 9 3/4. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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If skyrocketing tablet sales and cute videos of babies that confuse magazines for iPads are any indication, touchscreens are the interface of the future. But there's just one problem with that portentous prediction: If it's true, laptop buyers are stuck with one foot in the past. The market... Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2013-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is named the 'nation's favourite' children's book in a vote by reading charity Booktrust. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2013-11-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A recipe for butterbeer, a beverage beloved by 'Harry Potter' characters,' is making the rounds and fans say you can order one at Starbucks locations. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rowling wrote her book, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," when she was a single mother, receiving government benefits. She's now asking the government to step up support for Britain's poor.Without help from the British government, there might never have been a Harry Potter. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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J.K. Rowling will write a screenplay for Warner Bros. inspired by her book "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."Warner Bros. is hoping "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling has another magic trick up her sleeve. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-09-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When the U.K. newspaper the Sunday Times outed J.K. Rowling as the author of detective novel The Cuckoo's Calling earlier this year, computer scientists were among the first people called in. Although the novel was published under the pen name Robert Galbraith, two computational... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2013-09-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In a video on 'Good Morning America' celebrating the 15th anniversary of the release of the 'Harry Potter' books in the US, Rowling singles out Dumbledore as the 'Potter' character she misses the most. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Debut author Samantha Shannon has received plenty of pre-release buzz for her novel 'The Bone Season,' which comes out today. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new book by a University of Vermont professor found that 'Harry Potter' fans have similar views on political topics – with a large majority in opposition to the George W. Bush administration. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The new 'Harry Potter' covers, by artist and writer Kazu Kibuishi, were created to honor the 15th anniversary of the US publication of 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'A Celebration of Harry Potter' is scheduled for this January. Will it include a look at the new portion of the 'Wizarding World' park? Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The birthday of Harry Potter falls on July 31 (which also happens to be the birthday of J.K Rowling). In the Potter universe, the days are usually eventful ones. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-08-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Having a hard time finding something on the internet? You're probably doing it wrong -- at least that seems to be Microsoft's supposition. The company has recently revised its Bing autosuggest categories to help users find the correct search parameters for the content they're looking for. The... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2013-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Google has added images of the Diagon Alley set from the 'Harry Potter' movies to its Street View function, allowing users to virtually walk through the magical shopping center. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-07-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A rare first edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone with annotations and drawings by JK Rowling sells for a record £150,000. Continue reading at BBC News
[ BBC News | 2013-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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