Sony reveals some numbers after recent NPD release

[gamings_best]

Slimebeast said:

MAG 500K is most likely shipped. Jack Tretton doesn't care if the numbers he cites are shipped or actual sales to the end customers.

So if anything this shows that antipication and demand for MAG wasn't extremely strong, as 500k ww isn't a huge shipment.

Or like you say, it's an estimation derived  from the number of registered soldiers on MAG online.

just like demon souls, don't ship a ton of a hardcore title. ship only enough, and those gotta be multiple accounts as I have 3 for each faction.