UK - Halo 3: ODST Sees Strong Opening in UK

Halo 3: ODST has topped the sales charts in the UK this week, the latest release from Bungie and a welcome return to the top for publisher Microsoft.

Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box, the latest installment in Nintendo’s popular franchise, debuted at number 2 this week. Last week’s leader, Need for Speed: Shift, was pushed to 3rd place.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 from Vicarious Visions saw strong initial sales, coming in at number 7. The much anticipated release Aion debuted at number 11. Wii Play saw a surge from 38th to 17th place.

Rank – Title – Publisher

1. Halo 3: ODST – Microsoft
2. Professor Layton and Pandora’s Box – Nintendo
3. Need for Speed: Shift – EA
4. Guitar Hero 5 – Activision Blizzard
5. Wii Sports Resort – Nintendo
6. Batman: Arkham Asylum – Eidos
7. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 – Activision Blizzard
8. Colin McRae: Dirt 2 – Codemasters
9. WET – Bethesda Softworks
10. Wii Fit – Nintendo

11. Aion – NCSoft Europe
12. Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo
13. The Beatles: Rock Band – EA
14. Quantum of Solace – Activision Blizzard
15. Call of Duty: World at War – Activision Blizzard
16. MySims Agents – EA
17. Wii Play – Nintendo
18. Professor Layton and the Curious Village – Nintendo
19. Mini Ninjas – Eidos
20. IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey – 505 Games

21. Grand Theft Auto IV – Take 2
22. Ashes Cricket 2009 – Codemasters
23. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 – EA
24. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Activision Blizzard
25. Far Cry 2 – Ubisoft
26. Fight Night Round 4 – EA
27. Championship Manager 2010 – Eidos
28. Lego Batman: The Videogame – Warner Bros. Interactive
29. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training – Nintendo
30. Guitar Hero: World Tour – Activision Blizzard

31. Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince – EA
32. Madden NFL 10 – EA
33. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga – LucasArts
34. Singstar Motown – Sony
35. Mario Kart DS – Nintendo
36. Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades – Activision Blizzard
37. Sonic Unleashed – Sega
38. Sega Superstars Tennis – Sega
39. FIFA 09 – EA
40. The Sims 3 - EA

UK - Need for Speed: Shift Debuts in First Place

Need for Speed: Shift debuted at number one on the UK software chart this week. “Shift” is the latest addition to EA’s popular franchise, and sales have topped recent Activision release Guitar Hero 5, which was pushed to 2nd place.

Colin McRae: Dirt 2 is the next most popular title in the UK this week, taking the 3rd spot. Batman: Arkham Asylum moves down to 4th after its time at the top.

WET from Bethesda Softworks debuted in the 6th spot this week. Making a reappearance in the top 40 is Far Cry 2 at number 19. Interestingly, it’s the highest ranked game from Ubisoft in the top 40 right now, with Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood being the only other title from the publisher at number 27.

Rank – Title – Publisher

1. Need for Speed: Shift – EA
2. Guitar Hero 5 – Activision
3. Colin McRae: Dirt 2 – Codemasters
4. Batman: Arkham Asylum – Eidos
5. Wii Sports Resort – Nintendo
6. WET – Bethesda Softworks
7. The Beatles: Rock Band – EA
8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Activision Blizzard
9. Wii Fit – Nintendo
10. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 – EA

11. IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey – 505 Games
12. Fight Night Round 3 – EA
13. Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo
14. Championship Manager 2010 – Eidos
15. Mini Ninjas – Eidos
16. Quantum of Solace – Activision Blizzard
17. Ashes Cricket 2009 – Codemasters
18. Call of Duty: World at War – Activision Blizzard
19. Far Cry 2 – Ubisoft
20. Lego Batman: The Videogame – Warner Bros. Interactive

21. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training – Nintendo
22. Grand Theft Auto IV – Take 2
23. Professor Layton and the Curious Village – Nintendo
24. Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince – EA
25. Guitar Hero: World Tour – Activision Blizzard
26. Sega Superstars Tennis – Sega
27. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood – Ubisoft
28. Killzone 2 – Sony
29. FIFA 09 – EA
30. Mario Kart DS – Nintendo

31. The Sims 3 – EA
32. G-Force – Disney Interactive Studios
33. Sonic Unleashed – Sega
34. Wolfenstein – Activision Blizzard
35. Dissidia: Final Fantasy – Square Enix Europe
36. Singstar Motown – Sony
37. NHL 10 – EA
38. Wii Play – Nintendo
39. Halo 3 – Microsoft
40. Mystery Stories – GSP/Avanquest

UK - Guitar Hero 5 Beats The Beatles Rock Band in their Hometown

Activision Blizzard’s Guitar Hero 5 has taken the top spot on the UK Software Chart for the first time in the franchise's history, beating out Harmonix’s The Beatles Rock Band.

Colin McRae: Dirt 2 debuts at number 2, one spot higher than the original title did. Next in line is Batman: Arkham Asylum, which had debuted at number one last week.

The Beatles Rock Band, sporting a $250 price tag with all instruments included, makes its first appearance at number 4.

Other new releases this week include Championship Manager 2010 at number 13, and Mini Ninjas at number 15. Section 8 from Timegate Studios comes in at number 22.

Rank – Title – Publisher

1. Guitar Hero 5 – Activision Blizzard
2. Colin McRae: Dirt 2 – Codemasters
3. Batman: Arkham Asylum – Eidos
4. The Beatles: Rock Band – Electronic Arts
5. Wii Fit – Nintendo
6. Wii Sports Resort – Nintendo
7. IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey – 505 Games
8. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Activision Blizzard
9. Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo
10. Ashes Cricket 2009 – Codemasters

11. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 – Electronic Arts
12. Fight Night Round 4 – Electronic Arts
13. Championship Manager 2010 – Eidos
14. Call of Duty: World at War – Activision Blizzard
15. Mini Ninjas – Eidos
16. Dissidia: Final Fantasy – Square Enix Europe
17. Wolfenstein – Activision Blizzard
18. Grand Theft Auto IV – Take 2
19. Lego Batman: The Videogame – Warner Bros. Interactive
20. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training – Nintendo

21. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood – Ubisoft
22. Section 8 – South Peak Games
23. G-Force – Disney Interactive Studios
24. Professor Layton and the Curious Village – Nintendo
25. FIFA 09 – Electronic Arts
26. Guitar Hero: World Tour – Activision Blizzard
27. The Sims 3 – Electronic Arts
28. Killzone 2 – Sony
29. Mario Kart DS – Nintendo
30. Wii Play – Nintendo

31. Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince – Electronic Arts
32. Mystery Stories – GSP/Avanquest
33. Sega Superstars Tennis – Sega
34. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Activision Blizzard
35. Assassin’s Creed – Ubisoft
36. Sonic Unleashed – Sega
37. Fallout 3: Game Add-On Pack #2 – Bethesda Softworks
38. Littlebigplanet – Sony
39. Carnival: Funfair Games – Take 2
40. Halo 3 - Microsoft

UK - Batman: Arkham Asylum Dominates Thanks to PS3 Slim Bundling

Batman: Arkham Asylum was still the top seller in the UK this past week, beating out Wii Sports Resort (sales down 11%).

Batman’s sales were down 27% after its opening week, and although the Xbox 360 version is leading, the PS3 version now has a bundling with the PS3 Slim.

With the bundling comes a sales boost for titles like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (sales up 128%), lifting the title to number 3 for the first time in a year and a half.

New release IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey from developer Gaijin Entertainment takes number 6 on the chart. Dissidia: Final Fantasy from Square Enix debuts at number 10. Champions Online debuts at number 18.

Rank – Title – Publisher

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum – Eidos
2. Wii Sports Resort – Nintendo
3. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Activision Blizzard
4. Wii Fit – Nintendo
5. Ashes Cricket 2009 – Codemasters
6. IL2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey – 505 Games
7. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 – EA
8. Call of Duty: World at War – Activision Blizzard
9. Fight Night Round 4 – EA
10. Dissidia: Final Fantasy – Square Enix Europe

11. Wolfenstein – Activision Blizzard
12. Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo
13. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood – Ubisoft
14. Lego Batman: The Videogame – Warner Bros. Interactive
15. Grand Theft Auto IV – Take 2
16. FIFA 09 – EA
17. The Sims 3 – EA
18. Champions Online – Atari
19. Fallout 3: Game Add-on Pack #2 – Bethesda Softworks
20. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Activision Blizzard

21. G-Force – Disney Interactive Studios
22. Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince – EA
23. Wii Play – Nintendo
24. Guitar Hero: World Tour – Activision Blizzard
25. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training – Nintendo
26. Assassin’s Creed – Ubisoft
27. Profess Layton and the Curious Village – Nintendo
28. Littlebigplanet – Sony
29. Mario Kart DS – Nintendo
30. Killzone 2 – Sony

31. Mystery Stories – GSP/Avanquest
32. [Prototype] – Activision Blizzard
33. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga – LucasArts
34. Sega Superstars Tennis – Sega
35. EA Sports Active – EA
36. Sonic Unleashed – Sega
37. Pokemon Platinum – Nintendo
38. Carnival: Funfair Games – Take 2
39. Ben 10: Alien Force – D3P
40. Halo 3 - Microsoft

UK - Batman: Arkham Asylum Takes Top Spot in UK

Batman: Arkham Asylum commanded the top spot this week, knocking off 3-week top-seller Wii Sports Resort. The latest installment in the comic franchise is the first Eidos top software title in some time.

EA’s Fight Night Round 4 drops out of the top 10 to number 13 this week in the UK. G-Force, a relatively new release, has fallen from 13th to 22nd. Resident Evil 5 makes a reappearance at number 39.

Rank – Title – Publisher

1. Batman: Arkham Asylum – Eidos
2. Wii Sports Resort – Nintendo
3. Ashes Cricket 2009 – Codemasters
4. Wolfenstein – Activision Blizzard
5. Wii Fit – Nintendo
6. Call of Duty: World at War – Activision Blizzard
7. Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo
8. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 – EA
9. Lego Batman: The Videogame – Warner Bros. Interactive
10. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare – Activision Blizzard

11. Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood – Ubisoft
12. Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince – EA
13. Fight Night Round 4 – EA
14. The Sims 3 – EA
15. FIFA 09 – EA
16. [Prototype] – Activision Blizzard
17. Guitar Hero: World Tour – Activision Blizzard
18. Wii Play – Nintendo
19. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – Activision Blizzard
20. Fallout 3: Game Add-on Pack #2 – Bethesda Softworks

21. Mario Kart DS – Nintendo
22. G-Force – Disney Interactive Studios
23. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga – LucasArts
24. Professor Layton and the Curious Village – Nintendo
25. Assassin’s Creed – Ubisoft
26. Grand Theft Auto IV – Take 2
27. Mystery Stories – GSP/Avanquest
28. Guitar Hero: On Tour – Activision Blizzard
29. Carnival: Funfair Games – Take 2
30. EA Sports Active – EA

31. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games – Sega
32. Dead Space – EA
33. Pokemon Platinum – Nintendo
34. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training – Nintendo
35. Ben 10: Alien Force – D3P
36. Sega Superstars Tennis – Sega
37. Fallout 3 – Bethesda Softworks
38. New Super Mario Bros. – Nintendo
39. Resident Evil 5 – Capcom
40. Need for Speed: Undercover - EA