UK Video Game Chart: Aliens Colonial Marines becomes the biggest new release of 2013
Second highest launch week for an Aliens game, only bettered by 2010's AVP.
SEGA and Gearbox Software's Aliens: Colonial Marines has defied critics to become the biggest selling new release of the year so far, reports Ukie and Chart Track.
Colonial Marines recorded the second highest week one for an Aliens game, only bettered by SEGA's 2010 release, Aliens vs Predator from Rebellion. AvP went on to be the highest grossing Aliens title earning around £14 million lifetime in the UK, bettering Acclaim's £10 million grossing Alien Trilogy from 1996.
EA's Dead Space 3 slips to No.2 with a 57 per cent drop, FIFA 13 is down to No.3 but sales are up 39 per cent week on week, Black Ops 2 drops to No.4 and Far Cry 3 takes fifth place.
Assassin's Creed III benefited from widespread price cuts, climbing six places to No.6.
Elsewhere, Namco Bandai's Ni No Kuni sinks to No.25, whilst Capcom's DmC Devil May Cry looks set to fade into history clinging on to the chat at No.39.
UKIE Games Charts, compiled by GfK Chart-Track, (All Prices) Week 7, 2013
1. ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES
2. DEAD SPACE 3
3. FIFA 13
4. CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II
5. FAR CRY 3
6. ASSASSIN'S CREED III
7. NEED FOR SPEED MOST WANTED
8. JUST DANCE 4
9. SONIC & ALL STARS RACING TRANSFORMED
10. HALO 4
11. HITMAN ABSOLUTION
12. THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM
13. SKYLANDERS GIANTS
14. HITMAN: HD TRILOGY
15. LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES
16. LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS
17. FORZA HORIZON
18. FOOTBALL MANAGER 2013
19. DISHONORED
20. GRAND THEFT AUTO IV
VideoGamer.com Analysis
If we needed proof that strong marketing of a loved property will generate sales then look no further than Aliens. The game was almost universally panned by critics, yet enters the chart at No.1, selling more copies at week one than the likes of Ni No Kuni, DmC and Dead Space 3.
We have a chart battle on the cards next week, with Crytek's EA published Crysis 3 going up against Konami's Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. We reckon FPS will win out against third-person action, but Metal Gear is a stronger brand in gaming – it should be interesting this time next week.
User Comments
rbevanx@ EverTheOptimist
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_video_game_burial
Here is a recreation of what Atari staff possibly felt like doing to E.T
DancingRhino
And Gizmondo was fairly memorable, as it uber flopped and bankrupted the company. (If that's what is meant by successful flop?)
EverTheOptimist@ clangod
clangod
Admittedly, Colonial Marines sales may have come mainly from pre-orders and day one's (even with a street date break) but it means nothing to me when CoD is on the same list. People bought the hype. Just like they always do.
This cannot bode well for Gearbox. As now it could be legitimately claimed that the whole thing was orchestrated to gain whatever revenue they could from a game they knew to be sub par and significantly worse than early previews. A game that has been in development for around 6 years on and off now?
I avoided getting burned on this one but who knows, there may be a playable game in there once the modders are done. I'd buy that for $3.40.
rbevanx
I think what helped is that it was Aliens and it was heavily focused on the marines aspect, that gameplay demo and the makers of Borderlands making it which now sounds like Timegate made the trainwreck.
Either way they are still making content for the game via a season pass and they could lose money there was well.
EverTheOptimist
MJTH
Anyway this is another depressing moment for 2013...