Beatles Sales Beating Expectations, But Activision Says Guitar Hero 5 Leading

"Terrific" sales of The Beatles: Rock Band are outpacing MTV/Harmonix parent Viacom's own expectations a week after its launch, says CEO Philippe Dauman.

"Sales have exceeded our internal projections and we've sold 25 per cent of our inventory in the first week," said Dauman, speaking at New York's Goldman Sachs Communacopia Conference.

Viacom also says it is currently expecting about a 20 percent profit margin on the title, even though the royalty payout for the game is believed to be unusually costly to the company. Up to $40 million is possible for band representative Apple Corps, recordings owner EMI, and catalog publishing rights owner Sony/ATV Music Publishing -- "not even comparable to anything that has been done before," according to Sony/ATV Music Publishing chairman Martin Bandier.