Resident Evil 5 Hits #1 in UK, Fastest Selling Game in Franchise History

Resident Evil 5 has made a strong debut at number 1 on the UK top 40 software charts, becoming the fastest selling title in the franchise’s history, and Capcom’s biggest launch to date.

About 4 million units shipped for launch, following about 4 million downloads of the demo, according to Gamasutra.

In the ever-shifting top-10 during an exciting month for game software, Wii Fit and Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. gained a rank, despite decreased sales of14% and 19%, respectively.

Last week’s leader, Empire: Total War, has fallen to number 8. Recently launched Killzone 2 dropped from number 2 to number 5, as well as Ensemble Studios’ final offering, Halo Wars, which dropped from 5th to 9th place.

SOCOM: U.S. Navy Seals Confrontation debuted at number 11, while newcomer Street Fighter IV has fallen from 7th to 13th place in software sales for the week ending March 14th, 2009. Sonic Team’s latest project, Sonic and the Black Knight, debuts at number 30.

01. Resident Evil 5 (Capcom)
02. Wii Fit (Nintendo)
03. Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. (Ubisoft (Romania))
04. Professor Layton And The Curious Village (Level 5)
05. Killzone 2 (Guerrilla Games)
06. Fifa 09 (EA Canada)
07. Call Of Duty: World At War (Treyarch)
08. Empire: Total War (Creative Assembly)
09. Halo Wars (Ensemble Studios)
10. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games (Sega)

11. Socom: Us Navy Seals Confrontation (Slant Six Games)
12. Ben 10: Alien Force (1st Playable)
13. Street Fighter Iv (Capcom)
14. Mario Power Tennis (Camelot)
15. Wii Play (Nintendo)
16. Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force (1st Playable)
17. Disney's Bolt (Altron)
18. Grand Theft Auto Iv (Rockstar North)
19. Sega Mega Drive Ultimate Collection (Backbone)
20. My Fitness Coach (Respondesign)

21. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training (Nintendo)
22. Guitar Hero: World Tour (Neversoft)
23. Need For Speed: Undercover (EA Black Box)
24. Lego Indiana Jones: Original Adventures (Traveller's Tales)
25. Carnival: Funfair Games (Cat Daddy)
26. Mystery Case Files: Millionheir (Big Fish Games)
27. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Infinity Ward)
28. The House Of The Dead: Overkill (Headstrong Games)
29. Puzzler Collection (Route 1 Games)
30. Sonic And The Black Knight (Sonic Team)

31. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
32. Tomb Raider: Underworld (Crystal Dynamics)
33. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (Konami Digital Entertainment)
34. Football Manager 2009 (Sports Interactive)
35. F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin (Monolith)
36. Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Traveller's Tales)
37. Halo 3 (Bungie)
38. Lego Batman: The Videogame (Traveller's Tales)
39. Silent Hill: Homecoming (Double Helix)
40. Mario Kart Ds (Nintendo)

Editor's Note: copy written by Matt

UK - Skate 2 Debuts in 3rd Place

UK – Nintendo’s Wii Fit retained its lead at the top of the software charts with a 21% increase in sales, marking the first time the game has held the number one spot for consecutive weeks.

Skate 2 debuted at number three, replacing EA’s previous new release, Lord of the Rings: Conquest, which moved down to number five following a 31% drop in sales. EA also maintains the fourth spot with FIFA 09.

Nintendo still has the most Top 10 games this week, thanks to Mario Kart Wii’s hardware bundling. Ubisoft’s own Wii Fitness game, My Fitness Coach, has entered the Top 10 at number seven.

The ubiquitous Playstation 2 has pushed Tomb Raider: Underworld into the Top 10 at number nine.

Rank Title - Publisher

1 Wii Fit - Nintendo
2 Call Of Duty: World At War - Activision Blizzard
3 Skate 2 - Electronic Arts
4 Fifa 09 - Electronic Arts
5 The Lord Of The Rings: Conquest - Electronic Arts
6 Wii Play - Nintendo
7 My Fitness Coach - Ubisoft
8 Mario Kart Wii - Nintendo
9 Tomb Raider: Underworld - Eidos
10 Professor Layton And The Curious Village - Nintendo
11 Guitar Hero: World Tour - Activision Blizzard
12 Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games - Sega
13 Need For Speed: Undercover - Electronic Arts
14 Dr Kawashima's Brain Training - Nintendo
15 Carnival: Funfair Games - Take 2
16 Lego Batman: The Videogame - Warner Bros. Interactive
17 Lego Indiana Jones: Original Adventures - Lucasarts
18 Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 - Konami
19 Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Activision Blizzard
20 Fallout 3 - Bethesda Softworks
21 Gears Of War 2 - Microsoft
22 Football Manager 2009 - Sega
23 Grand Theft Auto Iv - Take 2
24 Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree - Nintendo
25 Littlebigplanet - Sony Computer Ent.
26 Quantum Of Solace - Activision Blizzard
27 Guitar Hero Iii: Legends Of Rock - Activision Blizzard
28 Shaun White Snowboarding - Ubisoft
29 Sonic Unleashed - Sega
30 More Brain Training From Dr Kawashima - Nintendo
31 Rayman Raving Rabbids Tv Party - Ubisoft
32 Mario Kart Ds - Nintendo
33 Far Cry 2 - Ubisoft
34 New Super Mario Bros. - Nintendo
35 Wall-E - Thq
36 Kung Fu Panda - Activision Blizzard
37 Saints Row 2 - Thq
38 Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Lucasarts
39 Off Road - Empire Interactive
40 Left 4 Dead - Electronic Arts

UK Top 40: Wii Fit Dethrones FIFA 09, Multi-Platform Titles Reshuffle

UK - Wii Fit climbed to the number one spot on the UK Top 40 software chart, as FIFA 09 dropped to number four following a 35% decline in sales.

Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty: World at War has dropped 18% in sales, but remained at the number two spot, and EA’s Lord of the Rings: Conquest has debuted this week at number three.

Just 2,500 sales separate the top three spots. Need for Speed: Undercover fell to number six as sales were down 52%.

Grand Theft Auto IV made a huge leap from number 33 to number 18 thanks to a retailer price promotion, and Halo 3 reappears in the Top 40 at number 29.

UK Top 40, Week Ending January 17, 2009

1. Wii Fit (Nintendo)
2. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision Blizzard)
3. The Lord of the Rings: Conquest (Electronic Arts)
4. FIFA 09 (Electronic Arts)
5. Wii Play (Nintendo)
6. Need for Speed: Undercover (Electronic Arts)
7. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega)
8. Guitar Hero: World Tour (Activision Blizzard)
9. Carnival: Funfair Games (Take Two)

10. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo)
11. Fallout 3 (Bethesda Softworks)
12. Quantum of Solace (Activision Blizzard)
13. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
14. Lego Indiana Jones: Original Adventures (LucasArts)
15. Lego Batman: The Videogame (Warner Bros. Interactive)
16. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Activision Blizzard)
17. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision Blizzard)
18. Grand Theft Auto IV (Take Two)
19. Gears of War 2 (Microsoft)

20. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft)
21. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (Konami)
22. Wall-E (THQ)
23. Sonic Unleashed (Sega)
24. Football Manager 2009 (Sega)
25. More Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima (Nintendo)
26. LittleBigPlanet (Sony Computer Entertainment)
27. Mirror’s Edge (Electronic Arts)
28. Shaun White Snowboarding (Ubisoft)
29. Halo 3 (Microsoft)

30. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
31. Kung Fu Panda (Activision Blizzard)
32. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo)
33. Tomb Raider: Underworld (Eidos)
34. 100 Classic Book Collection (Nintendo)
35. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2009 (THQ)
36. Left 4 Dead (Electronic Arts)
37. Midnight Club: Los Angeles (Take Two)
38. Prince of Persia (Ubisoft)
39. Resistance 2 (Sony Computer Entertainment)
40. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 (Electronic Arts)

UK Top 40 - FIFA Does it Again, Left 4 Dead Limps in at 37th

FIFA ’09 remained steadfast at number one on the UK Top-40 chart, with Call of Duty: World at War and Need for Speed: Undercover holding their second and third place positions from the end of 2008.

Wii Fit and Wii Play moved up to the fourth and fifth spots, respectively, following record Christmas sales for the Nintendo console.

UK Top-40, Week Ending January 10, 2009

1. FIFA 09
2. Call of Duty: World at War
3. Need for Speed: Undercover
4. Wii Fit
5. Wii Play
6. Guitar Hero: World Tour
7. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
8. Quantum of Solace
9. Lego Indiana Jones: Original Adventures

10. Mario Kart Wii
11. Carnival: Funfair Games
12. Far Cry 2
13. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training
14. Fallout 3
15. Gears of War 2
16. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
17. 100 Classic Book Collection
18. Lego Batman: The Videogame
19. Sonic Unleashed

20. Prince of Persia
21. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
22. Wall-E
23. Mirror’s Edge
24. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
25. Shaun White Snowboarding
26. Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party
27. Tomb Raider: Underworld
28. More Brain Training from Dr. Kawashima
29. LittleBigPlanet

30. Football Manager 2009
31. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09
32. Kung Fu Panda
33. Grand Theft Auto IV
34. New Super Mario Bros.
35. WWE Smackdown vs. RAW 2009
36. Mario Kart DS
37. Left 4 Dead
38. Big Beach Sports
39. Midnight Club: Los Angeles
40. Saints Row 2

UK Top 40: FIFA Wins Again; Call of Duty: World at War Still Fighting

UK, Week ending January 3rd - FIFA 09 scores the top spot in the UK and puts Call of Duty: World at War in 2nd for the last week of the year.

Rank - Title - Publisher
01. Fifa 09 - Electronic Arts
02. Call Of Duty: World At War - Activision Blizzard
03. Need For Speed: Undercover - Electronic Arts
04. Guitar Hero: World Tour - Activision Blizzard
05. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games - Sega
06. Wii Play - Nintendo
07. Far Cry 2 - Ubisoft
08. Mario Kart Wii - Nintendo
09. Quantum Of Solace - Activision Blizzard
10. Sonic Unleashed - Sega

11. Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock - Activision Blizzard
12. Carnival: Funfair Games - Take 2
13. Gears Of War 2 - Microsoft
14. Tomb Raider: Underworld - Eidos
15. Prince Of Persia - Ubisoft
16. Mirror's Edge - Electronic Arts
17. Lego Indiana Jones: Original Adventures - Lucasarts
18. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training - Nintendo
19. Fallout 3 - Bethesda Softworks
20. Wii Fit - Nintendo

21. Lego Batman: The Videogame - Warner Bros. Interactive
22. Wall-E - THQ
23. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 - Konami
24. Shaun White Snowboarding - Ubisoft
25. Football Manager 2009 - Sega
26. Wwe Smackdown Vs Raw 2009 - THQ
27. 100 Classic Book Collection - Nintendo
28. Grand Theft Auto Iv - Take 2
29. Rayman Raving Rabbids Tv Party - Ubisoft
30. Littlebigplanet - Sony Computer Ent.

31. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Lucasarts
32. Big Beach Sports - THQ
33. New Super Mario Bros. - Nintendo
34. Tiger Woods Pga Tour 09 - Electronic Arts
35. Kung Fu Panda - Activision Blizzard
36. More Brain Training From Dr Kawashima - Nintendo
37. Midnight Club: Los Angeles - Take 2
38. Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare - Activision Blizzard
39. Mario Kart Ds - Nintendo
40. Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City - Nintendo

FIFA 09 Scores the Winning Goal in UK; Resistance 2 Slips to 30th

UK - FIFA 09 kicked itself into first place just before the Christmas holiday according to GfK Chart-Track's Software Charts for the week ending December 20th.

After sitting in the top 5 for several weeks, it was able to finally pass Call of Duty: World of War, which held on to the spot for eight weeks.

Nintendo has a strong presense in the top ten with Mario Kart Wii holding onto third, Wii Play sitting in sixth, the DS phenom Professor Layton debuts at eighth, and Wii Fit coming in at tenth.

Sony's LittleBigPlanet remains steady at fifteenth, but Resistance 2 slips another four spots to thirtieth.

Top 40 Software
01. FIFA 09
02. CALL OF DUTY: WORLD AT WAR
03. MARIO KART WII
04. NEED FOR SPEED: UNDERCOVER
05. DR KAWASHIMA'S BRAIN TRAINING
06. WII PLAY
07. QUANTUM OF SOLACE
08. PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE CURIOUS VILLAGE
09. TOMB RAIDER: UNDERWORLD
10. WII FIT
11. GUITAR HERO: WORLD TOUR
12. MARIO & SONIC AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
13. LEGO INDIANA JONES: ORIGINAL ADVENTURES
14. FALLOUT 3
15. LITTLEBIGPLANET
16. PRINCE OF PERSIA
17. FAR CRY 2
18. CARNIVAL: FUNFAIR GAMES
19. LEGO BATMAN: THE VIDEOGAME
20. SONIC UNLEASHED
21. GEARS OF WAR 2
22. KUNG FU PANDA
23. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS: THE VIDEOGAME
24. MORE BRAIN TRAINING FROM DR KAWASHIMA
25. SINGSTAR ABBA
26. PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2009
27. RAYMAN RAVING RABBIDS TV PARTY
28. WWE SMACKDOWN VS RAW 2009
29. STAR WARS: THE FORCE UNLEASHED
30. RESISTANCE 2
31. WII MUSIC
32. ANIMAL CROSSING: LET'S GO TO THE CITY
33. SHAUN WHITE SNOWBOARDING
34. FOOTBALL MANAGER 2009
35. MADAGASCAR: ESCAPE 2 AFRICA
36. MIRROR'S EDGE
37. WALL-E
38. LIPS
39. GRAND THEFT AUTO IV
40. NINTENDOGS: LAB & FRIENDS

UK Top 40 (12/07 - 12/13) - Call of Duty Conquers UK

UK - Call of Duty is in first place in the UK for the 5th week in a row, and if it can hold off Mario Kart Wii for just one more week it will hold the UK record for most consecutive weeks in first place according to GfK Chart-Track.

Need For Speed: Undercover continues to defy an extremely critical reception by holding onto 4th place, and Fallout 3 has another solid week at 6th place.

Closer to the bottom of the chart, Resistance 2 (26th) and Wii Music (31st) continue to disappoint despite high expectations.

UK Top 40 (12/07 - 12/13)
01. Call Of Duty: World At War
02. Mario Kart Wii
03. Fifa 09
04. Need For Speed: Undercover
05. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training
06. Fallout 3
07. Wii Play
08. Wii Fit
09. Guitar Hero: World Tour
10. Tomb Raider: Underworld
11. Lego Indiana Jones: Original Adventures
12. Sonic Unleashed
13. Quantum Of Solace
14. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Games
15. Lego Batman: The Videogame
16. Littlebigplanet
17. Gears Of War 2
18. Wwe Smackdown Vs Raw 2009
19. Far Cry 2
20. Prince Of Persia
21. Kung Fu Panda
22. More Brain Training From Dr Kawashima
23. Animal Crossing: Let's Go To The City
24. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
25. Rayman Raving Rabbids Tv Party
26. Resistance 2
27. Carnival: Funfair Games
28. Football Manager 2009
29. Nintendogs: Lab & Friends
30. Mirror's Edge
31. Wii Music
32. Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What To Eat?
33. Shaun White Snowboarding
34. Sega Superstars Tennis
35. Wall-E
36. Singstar Abba
37. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
38. Guinness World Records: The Videogame
39. Lips
40. High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Resistance 2 a Dud, but UK Still Feels the Call of Duty (1 Million Sold!)

UK - Just one week after Resistance 2 debuted at a disappointing 10th place, the follow up to the previous hit is conspicuously missing from the top 10 and has fallen all the way down to 20th on the UK charts.

That's not to say that the UK doesn't enjoy its hardcore shooters, as Call of Duty: World at War is in 1st for the fourth week in a row (and it has hit 1 million sold, according to GFK Chart-Track), and Fallout 3 is enjoying a resurgence from a previous down week all the way up to 7th on the chart. It appears that Resistance 2 is just a flop.

Other popular games include Nintendo's Wii mainstays, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, and Wii Play, as well as consecutive weeks in the top 10 by NFS: Undercover, Fifa 09, and Tomb Raider: Underworld.


Chart-Track Sales 12/01 - 12/07 (UK)
01. Call of Duty: World at War
02. Mario Kart Wii
03. FIFA 09
04. Dr Kawashima Brain Training
05. Need for Speed: Undercover
06. Tomb Raider: Underworld
07. Fallout 3
08. Wii Fit
09. Wii Play
10. Guitar Hero: World Tour



>>

UK Game Sales to Experience 'Massive Growth' In Next 5 Years

United Kingdom - Market research firm Verdict Research Limited has released their latest UK Video Games and Consoles Retailing 2008 forecast.


From the press release:

In 2008 we believe video games sales will overtake music & video sales for the first time. Video games are proving themselves the stand-out performer in a sluggish retail environment, enjoying explosive growth at odds with other sectors. When this upsurge is over, video games will find itself a more significant contributor to the retail market.

The reason for this is growth in the demographic, driven by technological innovation. Although leading specialist Game and a number of well-run independents are well-placed to profit on the buoyant market, other retailers are also keen to benefit with grocers, online retailers and non-specialists all ramping up their participation in the sector.

The medium term prospects of the market are strong with the current generation of consoles set to see a peak in hardware sales in early 2009 and then enjoying strong software sales - driven by a widely installed console base, into the next decade. The accessories market will also continue growing rapidly, driven by innovation and new technology.

What do you guys think? Will the strength of the gaming market while everything else crashes vault it to an even more prominent location in the marketplace even after the market recovers? Can games really pass movies and music?


>>

Resistance 2 Debuts at Disappointing 10th Place in the UK

United Kingdom - Call of Duty: World at War takes the top spot for the third week in a row in the UK according to Chart-Track. FIFA 09 and Mario Kart Wii both slip one slot to make way for a two-spot climb by NFS: Undercover.

Guitar Hero: World Tour makes another appearance in the top 10, and bringing in the rear is the debut of Resistance 2, and according to GfK Chart-Track, matches only approximately 66% of the original's launch week.


Chart-Track Sales 11/24 - 11-30 (UK)
01. Call of Duty: World at War
02. Need for Speed: Undercover
03. FIFA 09
04. Mario Kart Wii
05. Dr Kawashima Brain Training
06. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
07. Tomb Raider: Underworld
08. Wii Play
09. Guitar Hero: World Tour
10. Resistance 2

UK Loves Call of Duty, Footy, Nintendo

United Kingdom - The latest Chart-Track software chart is in and Call of Duty: World at War takes the top spot for the second week in a row.

Rounding out the top 10 are 4 Nintendo games and 3 Football (soccer!) games, leaving just enough space for the panned Need for Speed: Undercover and everybody's favorite jiggler at 9th.

Chart-Track Sales 11/17 - 11-23 (UK)
1. Call of Duty: World at War
2. FIFA ‘09
3. Mario Kart Wii
4. Need for Speed: Undercover
5. Wii Fit
6. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training
7. Football Manager 2009
8. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009
9. Tomb Raider: Underworld
10. Wii Play




Note:
I'd like to announce this will be a regular feature from here on out; expect the UK Top Ten to be posted every Monday. Unfortunately, no numbers are available so the colorful graphs and chart opportunities are few, but still. If I find something that I can graphically represent you will be the first to know!

Enjoy! :)