Bungie's upcoming shooter Destiny, which is now just two weeks away, could sell as many as 15 million copies this year. That's according to Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia, who said in a note to investors today that sales expectations for the game are in the range of 8 million to 15 million units.

　　However, based on Sterne Agee's own retailer checks, as well as a strong response to the beta (it had 4.6 million players), positive preorder trends, and an easier competitive slate compared to last year, the firm believes that 15 million copies of Destiny sold this year is achievable.

　　Sterne Agee is not alone in its optimism for Destiny. Another research firm, Cowen & Company, believes the game could sell 10-15 million copies this year, outpacing even Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare.

　　Big-time sales predictions for Destiny are to be expected. After all, publisher Activision believes it can become the company's third billion-dollar franchise, and has reportedly sunk $500 million into the franchise to cover development, infrastructure, and marketing costs. If you've visited Times Square in New York City or watched The Simpsons Marathon on FXX, you've seen a Destiny commercial.

　　If Destiny can sell at least 10 million units this year, those sales, combined with more high-margin DLC revenue, could lead to the game being "marginally" profitable this year, Bhatia said. Of course, Destiny's launch on September 9 represents just the beginning of the game. Bungie has extensive post-release plans for Destiny, and potentially even some sequels are in the works.

　　Destiny is coming to Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation 4. For more, check out GameSpot's previous coverage.

　　Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @EddieMakuch