It did about as well as could be expected given the nature of the game and the platform it's on. Frankly, I'm just glad it got made at all.

My immediate question is how many Bayo 2 copies need to sell for it to break even? Too often people just measure a game's sales up to some arbitrary number.

Assuming a $20 million dollar budget, I'd guess maybe 700k-800k. 

It doesn't really matter that much as it's not like Nintendo doesn't have a huge warchest. 

Devil's Third and even Xenoblade will probably have similar results (DT will probably sell a lot less). 

Jesus.... some people have such a short memory. This game was cancelled long ago by Sega, I wouldn´t even exist if it wasn´t for Nintendo. That said, numbers were not good, even considering that it had just one day of sales. It´s a sequel that´s coming after five years of the first game, most people who played the first game probably don´t have interest in it anymore

Japan doesn't need more boobs, fetishes and accessorily Beat'em all confirmed

Kinda disappointing. Also isn't first day usually half the numbers of first week ? 

Except if numbers triple next week, that's really bad.

Many games came out five years or later after their predecessors: Skyrim, GTA V, Diablo 3, Metal Gear Solid 5, Max Payne 3, Red Dead Redemption, Donkey Kong Country Returns...

A lot.  The first game didn't make Sega enough money to justify continuingly pumping money into the sequel and that title sold over 2 million on both the PS3 and 360.  Bayonetta 2's budget is higher than the first.

I know the numbers aren't great, but I'm a little relieved. After seeing the early reports this weekend I was expecting half that number.

Do we have any actual numbers though? Yes it sold over two million but that's numbers as they stand today after inevitable price cuts and such. As for the budget being higher, are we sure of that? Advertising has been limited to Nintendo directs and the game seems to recycle assets from Bayo 1.

What I'd like to see is actual numbers.

The numbers are quite low, but not bad. Not close to Bayonetta PS3's opening numbers or even XB360 numbers, but it was to be expected.