I bet GameStop is feeling the bite of a Steam-powered generation of digital-delivery-comfortable gamers who are too lazy or smart to head to their local Gamestop to buy the game and so have decided to ramp up their marketing efforts. They will open a record number of stores for the midnight launch of Modern Warfare 2. Sure the console gamers still need to go get their copies but PC gaming is still quite big. This is being pumped as the launch of the year even though Assassin’s Creed 2 and Bioshock 2 are also on the list and somewhere between 2 and 3 million copies were shipped for the FIFA 10 and PES 10 launches.

GameStop today announced that it will host events at 4,250 of its stores Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, leading up to the midnight release of Infinity Ward’s Modern Warfare 2. This represents the largest number of stores opened for a midnight launch event in GameStop history.

With festivities at stores kicking off Monday at 9 p.m., Modern Warfare 2 fans will have an opportunity to play the highly anticipated game prior to launch, as well as to enter the “going camo” face painting contest and Call of Duty trivia contest.

“A blockbuster title such as this places the spotlight on video gaming as mainstream entertainment,” said Tony Bartel, executive vice president of merchandising and marketing for GameStop. “We anticipate Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will not only be the biggest video game launch of the year, but the biggest launch in GameStop’s history.”

The most-anticipated game of the year and the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game of all time, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 continues the gripping and heart-racing action as players face off against a new threat dedicated to bringing the world to the brink of collapse. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be available for the Xbox 360 PS3 and WindowsPC.

Is it the most anticipated game of the year? You tell us what you think. We’ll find out when the numbers roll in from the launches.