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ELSPA and Ladbrokes have announced that the battle for the Christmas number one spot is over. It was a fierce battle, with many high profile releases fighting for position, but as was the case last year, an EA game has come out victorious. Need for Speed Underground 2 has replicated the success the publisher had last year with Medal of Honor Rising Sun.
The street racing title outsold huge releases such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, The Incredibles and FIFA 2005. Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA had this to say on this year’s battle and EA’s success:
“The competition for the Christmas Number One this year has been tough, with an abundance of top notch games vying for the prime position. The UK games industry has enjoyed an immensely busy festive period, with games at the top of many Christmas lists. ELSPA would like to congratulate Electronic Arts on its success.“
EA were suitably impressed with their success, with Peter Jackson, managing director and vice president, EA Northern Region commenting on their chart topper:
“We are very pleased to have secured the Christmas Number One spot with Need for Speed Underground 2. Last year we successfully re-launched the franchise and had considerable success in the racing category, and this year we have taken further steps forward with both the product content and also supported by a comprehensive marketing campaign that really captured the imagination.“
The full top ten compiled by Chart-Track for w/e 18th December 2004 is as follows.
1 – Need for Speed: Underground 2, EA Games (Final odds 6/4)
2 – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Rockstar (3/1)
3 – Call of Duty: Finest Hour, Activision (4/1)
4 – The Incredibles, THQ (5/1)
5 – FIFA 2005, EA Sports (12/1)
6 – Prince of Persia: Warrior Within, Ubisoft (25/1)
7 – Pro Evolution Soccer 4, Konami (25/1)
8 – Goldeneye: Rogue Agent, EA Games (7/1)
9 – The Getaway: Black Monday, Sony Computer Entertainment (33/1)
10 – The Simpsons: Hit and Run, Platinum (50/1)
