hhhmm. True anything can happen however...one thing is for sure...look for a huge media advertising saturation for this game before release. My feeling is that Microsoft undoubtedly will put a massive amount of advertising funds to market this as the beginning of a new trilogy. They will sell it in a way that many shooter fans will feel it will be an experience they cannot pass up. Even though this is coming close to the end of the generation I think most people in this thread are way low balling it.
Forget the draw of Call of Duty. Shooter fans will still buy this in huge numbers.. The massive marketing campaign for this will make sure of that. Remember Halo: Reach did not have Master chief and it still has just over 9 million right now. It even came close to Halo 3 Release week numbers.
Based on this being Microsoft's golden child franchise expect sales to draw upwards close to 4.5-5 million week one. Lifetime I think will be a wait and see based on when next gen Microsoft Console enters the market. Even if it will be 2013 Im confident this will sell at least 11m but has the potential of hitting near 14m. Anyone knowing Microsofts marketing style and combining it with their golden child franchise knows that anything less than 9m life time must be drinking their piss for breakfast.
