Editing Diablo II (section)

===Sales===
On its debut day, ''Diablo II'' sold 184,000 units.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 22, 2003|title=GameSpot Presents: Eye of the Storm|url=http://gamespot.com:80/gamespot/features/pc/blizzard/p4_04.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030222095901/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/blizzard/p4_04.html|archive-date=February 22, 2003|access-date=July 24, 2019}}</ref> The game's global sales reached 1 million copies after two weeks,<ref name="1m">{{cite web|author=Ocampo, Jason|date=July 17, 2000|title=''Diablo II'': One Million and Counting|url=http://www.gamecenter.com:80/News/Item/0,3,0-4471,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010212100702/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-4471,00.html|archive-date=February 12, 2001|access-date=November 29, 2018|work=[[CNET Gamecenter]]|df=mdy-all}}</ref> and 2 million after one and a half months.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 22, 2002|title=Blizzard Entertainment - 10th Anniversary Feature|url=http://www.blizzard.com:80/blizz-anniversary/blizznorth.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020222115131/http://www.blizzard.com/blizz-anniversary/blizznorth.shtml|archive-date=February 22, 2002|access-date=July 24, 2019}}</ref> It was awarded a spot in the [[Guinness Book of World Records]] 2000 edition for being the fastest selling [[personal computer|computer]] game ever, with more than 1 million units sold in the first two weeks of availability.<ref name="guinness">{{cite web|title=Untold Legends: Brotherhood of the Blade|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdoup/is_200505/ai_n13462894|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071018074346/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_zdoup/is_200505/ai_n13462894|archive-date=October 18, 2007|access-date=September 11, 2016|work=Official U. S. Playstation Magazine|df=mdy}}</ref> Its sales during 2000 alone reached 2.75 million globally;<ref name="cgwsales2">{{cite magazine|author=Handy, Alex|date=April 2001|title=read.me; Handy Stats|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|issue=201|page=34}}</ref> 33% of these copies were sold outside the United States, with South Korea making up the largest international market.<ref>{{cite web|date=February 8, 2002|title=Blizzard Entertainment - 10th Anniversary Feature|url=http://www.blizzard.com:80/blizz-anniversary/stu.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020208065704/http://www.blizzard.com/blizz-anniversary/stu.shtml|archive-date=February 8, 2002|access-date=July 24, 2019}}</ref> ''[[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]]'', ''[[World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade]]'', ''[[World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King]]'', ''[[World of Warcraft: Cataclysm]]'' and ''[[Diablo III]]'' have since surpassed ''Diablo II''{{'}}s record to become fastest-selling computer games ever at their times of release, according to Blizzard.<ref>[http://www.blizzard.com/us/inblizz/profile.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712001758/http://www.blizzard.com/us/inblizz/profile.html|date=July 12, 2009}}</ref><ref>[http://www.blizzard.com/us/press/081120.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150304054114/http://www.blizzard.com/us/press/081120.html|date=March 4, 2015}}</ref>

In the United States, [[PC Data]] tracked 308,923 sales for ''Diablo II'' during the June 25–July 1 period, including sales of its Collector's Edition. This drew revenues of $17.2 million.<ref name="week1">{{cite web|author=Asher, Mark|date=July 14, 2000|title=Game Spin: Crunching ''Diablo II'' Numbers|url=http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-4466,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816025011/http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-4466,00.html|archive-date=August 16, 2000|work=[[CNET Gamecenter]]}}</ref> Domestic sales reached 790,285 units ($41.05 million) by the end of October 2000, according to PC Data. Another $4.47 million were earned in the region by that date via sales of the ''Collector's Edition''.<ref name="qt3sales">{{cite web|author1=Asher, Mark|author2=Chick, Tom|author-link2=Tom Chick|title=The Year's Ten Best-Selling Games|url=http://www.quartertothree.com:80/features/pcdata_top_10/years_bestsellers.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010202214600/http://www.quartertothree.com/features/pcdata_top_10/years_bestsellers.shtml|archive-date=February 2, 2001|access-date=November 29, 2018|work=Quarter to Three|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ''Diablo II'' finished 2000 with 970,131 sales in the United States, for a gross of $48.2 million.<ref name="pcgsales">{{cite magazine|author=Staff|date=April 2001|title=Eyewitness; It's All in the Numbers|magazine=[[PC Gamer]]|volume=8|issue=4|pages=40, 41}}</ref>

''Diablo II''{{'}}s success continued in 2001: from February to the first week of November, it totaled sales of 306,422 units in the United States.<ref name="desslock2001">{{cite web|author=Desslock|date=November 23, 2001|title=Desslock's Ramblings - ''Wizardry 8'' Arrives, Kinda; RPG Sales Stats Updated|url=http://desslock.gamespot.com/#20011123-01|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011124191748/http://desslock.gamespot.com/#20011123-01|archive-date=November 24, 2001|work=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> It was ultimately the country's eighth best-selling computer title of 2001,<ref name="npd2001">{{cite web|author=Walker, Trey|date=February 7, 2002|title=2001 game sales break records|url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/news/2002/02/07/news_2846252.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041019101827/http://www.gamespot.com/news/2002/02/07/news_2846252.html|archive-date=October 19, 2004|access-date=July 24, 2019|work=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> with sales of 517,037 units and revenues of $19.3 million.<ref name="2001nyu">{{cite web|author=Bradshaw, Lucy|author-link=Lucy Bradshaw (game developer)|date=January 31, 2002|title=Markle Forum on Children and Media|url=https://cat.nyu.edu/current/news/media/marklesimcity.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040619191112/https://cat.nyu.edu/current/news/media/marklesimcity.pdf|archive-date=June 19, 2004|publisher=[[New York University]]}}</ref> Its lifetime domestic sales climbed to 1.7 million units, for $67.1 million in revenue, by August 2006. At this time, this led ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' to declare it the United States' second-largest computer game hit released since January 2000.<ref name="edgesales">{{cite magazine|author=''Edge'' Staff|date=August 25, 2006|title=The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century|url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165955/http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/|archive-date=October 17, 2012|magazine=[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]}}</ref> It received a "Gold" sales award from the [[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]] (ELSPA),<ref name="goldelspa">{{cite web|title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Gold|url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3943|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090319031650/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3943|archive-date=March 19, 2009|work=[[Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association]]}}</ref> indicating sales of at least 200,000 copies in the United Kingdom.<ref name="gamasutrasales">{{cite web|author=Caoili, Eric|date=November 26, 2008|title=ELSPA: ''Wii Fit'', ''Mario Kart'' Reach Diamond Status In UK|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php|archive-date=September 18, 2017|work=[[Gamasutra]]}}</ref>

''Diablo II'' became a major hit in the German market and debuted at #1 on Media Control's computer game sales chart for June 2000. Speaking with Havas Interactive's public relations director, ''[[PC Player (German magazine)|PC Player]]''{{'}}s Udo Hoffman noted that the representative "had to make an effort on the phone to avoid singing and jubilating" over the game's commercial performance.<ref name="pcplayer">Hoffman, Udo (Holiday 2000). "NachSpiel: ''Diablo II''". ''[[PC Player (German magazine)|PC Player]]'' (in [[German language|German]]): 32, 33.</ref> The Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland (VUD) presented ''Diablo II'' with a "Gold" award after three weeks of availability,<ref name="vudgold">{{cite press release|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030223171415/http://www.vud.de/presse/juni2000.php3|url=http://www.vud.de:80/presse/juni2000.php3|title=VUD Sales Awards: Juni 2000|publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland|language=de|date=June 30, 2000|archive-date=February 23, 2003|url-status=dead|access-date=November 29, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> indicating sales of at least 100,000 units across Germany, Austria and Switzerland.<ref name="gameprogold">{{cite magazine|author=Horn, Andre|date=January 14, 2004|title=VUD-Gold-Awards 2003|url=https://www.gamepro.de/artikel/vud-gold-awards-2003,1290773.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180718145345/https://www.gamepro.de/artikel/vud-gold-awards-2003,1290773.html|archive-date=July 18, 2018|magazine=[[GamePro|GamePro Germany]]|language=de}}</ref> It maintained first place for July and rose to "Platinum" status (200,000 sales) by the end of the month.<ref name=pcplayer /><ref name=gameprogold /><ref name="vudplat">{{cite press release|url=http://www.vud.de:80/presse/juli2000.php3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030223170350/http://www.vud.de/presse/juli2000.php3|title=VUD Sales Awards|date=July 31, 2000|publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland|language=de|archive-date=February 23, 2003|url-status=dead|access-date=November 29, 2018|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The game proceeded to place in Media Control's top 10 through October, peaking at #2 in August,<ref name=pcplayer /> and in the top 30 through December.<ref name="month2">{{cite web|title=Stand: November 2000|url=http://www.vud.de:80/charts/pcg55.php3|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001209002800/http://www.vud.de/charts/pcg55.php3|archive-date=December 9, 2000|access-date=November 29, 2018|publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland|language=de|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref name="month3">{{cite web|title=Zeitraum: Januar 2001|url=http://www.vud.de:80/charts/pcg55.php3|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010207030751/http://www.vud.de/charts/pcg55.php3|archive-date=February 7, 2001|access-date=November 29, 2018|publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland|language=de|df=mdy-all}}</ref> By the end of 2000, roughly 350,000 units had been sold in the German market.<ref name=pcplayer /> ''Diablo II'' continued to chart in January 2001, with a placement of 24th,<ref name=month3 /> and its ''Limited Edition'' debuted in second place for February.<ref name="month4">{{cite web|title=Zeitraum: März 2001|url=http://www.vud.de:80/charts/pcg55.php3|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010429023548/http://www.vud.de/charts/pcg55.php3|archive-date=April 29, 2001|access-date=November 29, 2018|publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland|language=de|df=mdy-all}}</ref> That April, the VUD presented the game with a "Double-Platinum" certification, for 400,000 sales. This made it one of the region's best-selling computer games ever at that time.<ref name="vud2001">{{cite web|date=April 30, 2001|title=VUD Sales Awards: April 2001|url=http://www.vud.de:80/presse/april2001.php3|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030422010900/http://www.vud.de/presse/april2001.php3|archive-date=April 22, 2003|access-date=November 29, 2018|publisher=Verband der Unterhaltungssoftware Deutschland|language=de|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

As of June 29, 2001, ''Diablo II'' has sold 4 million copies worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|date=June 29, 2001|title=Diablo II: Lord of Destruction Goes Gold|url=http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010621/2122.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010801205053/http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010621/2122.html|archive-date=August 1, 2001|access-date=February 19, 2017|website=[[Business Wire]]|publisher=[[Berkshire Hathaway]]|via=[[Yahoo|Yahoo.com]]}}</ref> Copies of ''Diablo: Battle Chest'' continue to be sold in retail stores, appearing on the [[NPD Group]]'s top 10 PC games sales list as recently as 2010.<ref name="vg247_diablo2npd">{{cite web|author=Stephany Nunneley|date=August 5, 2010|title=Blog Archive » Activision Blizzard Q2 financials: Net revenue comes in at $967 million|url=http://www.vg247.com/2010/08/05/activision-blizzard-q2-financials-net-revenue-comes-in-at-967-million/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101004040715/http://www.vg247.com/2010/08/05/activision-blizzard-q2-financials-net-revenue-comes-in-at-967-million/|archive-date=October 4, 2010|access-date=September 15, 2010|website=VG247}}</ref> Even more remarkably, the ''Diablo: Battle Chest'' was the 19th best-selling PC game of 2008<ref name="ign_bestsell_2008">{{cite web|last=Thang|first=Jimmy|date=January 15, 2009|title=Best-selling PC Games of 2008|url= https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/01/15/best-selling-pc-games-of-2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613053708/http://pc.ign.com/articles/945/945328p1.html|archive-date=June 13, 2011|access-date=September 15, 2010|publisher=IGN}}</ref> – a full eight years after the game's initial release – and 11 million users still played ''Diablo II'' and ''[[StarCraft (video game)|StarCraft]]'' over Battle.net in 2010.<ref name="gspot_starcraft2">{{cite web|last=Magrino|first=Tom|date=July 28, 2010|title=Analysts bullish on Starcraft II sales|url= https://www.gamespot.com/amp-articles/analysts-bullish-on-starcraft-ii-sales/1100-6271382/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110910214303/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/starcraftiilegacyofthevoid/news.html?sid=6271382|archive-date=September 10, 2011|access-date=September 11, 2010|website=[[GameSpot]]|df=mdy}}</ref>

{{Clear}}