BATMAN IS BACK!

28/Oct/2013

The third installment in Warner’s Batman: Arkham series debuts at No1 (as did the previous two), entitled ‘Batman: Arkham Origins’ (developed in-house by WB Games Montreal) and sells almost exactly the same in week 1 as the first in the series ‘Batman: Arkham Asylum’ (Sep 2009, developed by Rocksteady, published by Eidos).

The defining title in terms of week 1 sales was the second in the series ‘Batman: Arkham City’ (Oct 2011 with close to double the week 1 sales of the third installment, also developed by Rocksteady, published by Warner). The all-time best-selling Batman game in the UK is ‘Lego Batman: The Videogame’ from 2008 (published by Warner, developed by Traveller’s Tales). Rockstar/Take 2’s ‘GTA V’ (-28%) drops to No2 followed at No3 by EA’s ‘FIFA 14’ (-21%) and at No4 by Activision’s ‘Skylanders Swap Force’ (-50%). 2 titles climb back in to the Top 10 this week thanks to a successful hardware promotion: Warner’s ‘Lego The Lord of the Rings’ climbs 11 places to No8 (+266%) and Mind Candy’s ‘Moshi Monsters: Katsuma Unleashed’ climbs 20 places to No9 (+350%). Ubisoft debut at No15 with ‘Rocksmith 2014 Edition’, EA debut at No18 with ‘The Sims 3: Into the Future’ and Activision debut at No27 with ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’.

Combined Formats:

LW		TW			Title	Developer	Label	Publisher
-		1			BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS	WB GAMES MONTREAL	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
1		2			GRAND THEFT AUTO V	ROCKSTAR NORTH	ROCKSTAR	TAKE 2
2		3			FIFA 14	EA CANADA	EA SPORTS	ELECTRONIC ARTS
3		4			SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE	VICARIOUS VISIONS	SKYLANDERS	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
4		5			POKEMON X	GAME FREAK	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
5		6			POKEMON Y	GAME FREAK	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
7		7			MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION	4J STUDIOS	MICROSOFT	MICROSOFT
19		8			LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS	TRAVELLER'S TALES	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
29		9			MOSHI MONSTERS: KATSUMA UNLEASHED	SUMO DIGITAL	MIND CANDY	MIND CANDY
9		10			JUST DANCE 2014	UBISOFT (FRANCE)	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
10		11			DISNEY INFINITY	AVALANCHE SOFTWARE	DISNEY INFINITY	DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS
8		12			F1 2013	CODEMASTERS BIRMINGHAM	CODEMASTERS	CODEMASTERS
6		13			BEYOND TWO SOULS	QUANTIC DREAM	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
12		14			LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES	TRAVELLER'S TALES	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
-		15			ROCKSMITH 2014 EDITION	UBISOFT (SAN FRANCISCO)	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
14		16			MAX PAYNE 3	ROCKSTAR VANCOUVER	ROCKSTAR	TAKE 2
21		17			TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: BLACKLIST	UBISOFT (TORONTO)	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
-		18			THE SIMS 3: INTO THE FUTURE	THE SIMS STUDIO	EA GAMES	ELECTRONIC ARTS
17		19			ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW LEAF	NINTENDO	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
11		20			SONIC: LOST WORLD	DIMPS	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
20		21			TOMB RAIDER	CRYSTAL DYNAMICS	SQUARE ENIX	SQUARE ENIX EUROPE
22		22			THE LAST OF US	NAUGHTY DOG	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
23		23			NEED FOR SPEED MOST WANTED	CRITERION GAMES	EA GAMES	ELECTRONIC ARTS
18		24			SAINTS ROW IV	DEEP SILVER VOLITION	DEEP SILVER	KOCH MEDIA
31		25			ASSASSIN'S CREED III	UBISOFT (MONTREAL)	XBOX 360 CLASSICS	UBISOFT
13		26			KILLZONE: MERCENARY	GUERRILLA CAMBRIDGE	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
-		27			TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES	MAGIC POCKETS	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
16		28			THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE WIND WAKER	NINTENDO	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
37		29			THE SMURFS 2	UBISOFT SF/WAYFORWARD	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
38		30			GRAN TURISMO 5 ACADEMY EDITION	POLYPHONY DIGITAL	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
30		31			FARMING SIMULATOR 2013	GIANTS SOFTWARE	FOCUS HOME INTERACTIVE	KOCH MEDIA
36		32			KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 REMIX	SQUARE ENIX	SQUARE ENIX	SQUARE ENIX EUROPE
26		33			DIABLO III	BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT	BLIZZARD	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
35		34			PAYDAY 2	OVERKILL SOFTWARE	505 GAMES	505 GAMES
24		35			PRO EVOLUTION SOCCER 2014	KONAMI DIGITAL ENTERTAINMENT	KONAMI	KONAMI
27		36			RAYMAN LEGENDS	UBISOFT (FRANCE)	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
28		37			CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS II	TREYARCH	ACTIVISION	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
25		38			NBA 2K14	VISUAL CONCEPTS	2K SPORTS	TAKE 2
15		39			VIRTUA TENNIS 4: WORLD TOUR EDITION	SEGA	SEGA	SEGA
33		40			FIFA 13	EA CANADA	EA SPORTS	ELECTRONIC ARTS

Individual Formats:

LW		TW			Title	Format	Label	Publisher
-		1			BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS	XB360	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
-		2			BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS	PS3	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
1		3			GRAND THEFT AUTO V	XB360	ROCKSTAR	TAKE 2
2		4			FIFA 14	XB360	EA SPORTS	ELECTRONIC ARTS
3		5			GRAND THEFT AUTO V	PS3	ROCKSTAR	TAKE 2
4		6			FIFA 14	PS3	EA SPORTS	ELECTRONIC ARTS
5		7			POKEMON X	3DS	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
6		8			POKEMON Y	3DS	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
10		9			MINECRAFT: XBOX 360 EDITION	XB360	MICROSOFT	MICROSOFT
38		10			MOSHI MONSTERS: KATSUMA UNLEASHED	DS	MIND CANDY	MIND CANDY
-		11			LEGO THE LORD OF THE RINGS	DS	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
8		12			SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE	XB360	SKYLANDERS	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
11		13			JUST DANCE 2014	WII	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
7		14			SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE	WII	SKYLANDERS	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
9		15			BEYOND TWO SOULS	PS3	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
-		16			THE SIMS 3: INTO THE FUTURE	PC	EA GAMES	ELECTRONIC ARTS
12		17			SKYLANDERS SWAP FORCE	PS3	SKYLANDERS	ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
19		18			ANIMAL CROSSING: NEW LEAF	3DS	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
13		19			F1 2013	XB360	CODEMASTERS	CODEMASTERS
21		20			THE LAST OF US	PS3	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
20		21			DISNEY INFINITY	XB360	DISNEY INFINITY	DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS
-		22			BATMAN: ARKHAM ORIGINS	VITA	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
24		23			MAX PAYNE 3	PS3	ROCKSTAR	TAKE 2
17		24			F1 2013	PS3	CODEMASTERS	CODEMASTERS
14		25			KILLZONE: MERCENARY	VITA	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
22		26			DISNEY INFINITY	WII	DISNEY INFINITY	DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS
18		27			THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: THE WIND WAKER	WII U	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
30		28			TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL: BLACKLIST	XB360	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
-		29			ROCKSMITH 2014 EDITION	XB360	UBISOFT	UBISOFT
26		30			TOMB RAIDER	XB360	SQUARE ENIX	SQUARE ENIX EUROPE
33		31			GRAN TURISMO 5 ACADEMY EDITION	PS3	SONY COMPUTER ENT.	SONY COMPUTER ENT.
31		32			LEGO BATMAN 2: DC SUPER HEROES	XB360	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE	WARNER BROS. INTERACTIVE
32		33			KINGDOM HEARTS HD 1.5 REMIX	PS3	SQUARE ENIX	SQUARE ENIX EUROPE
23		34			MAX PAYNE 3	XB360	ROCKSTAR	TAKE 2
16		35			VIRTUA TENNIS 4: WORLD TOUR EDITION	VITA	SEGA	SEGA
36		36			LUIGI'S MANSION 2	3DS	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
37		37			HALO 4	XB360	MICROSOFT	MICROSOFT
-		38			WII PARTY U	WII U	NINTENDO	NINTENDO
25		39			SAINTS ROW IV	XB360	DEEP SILVER	KOCH MEDIA
40		40			PAYDAY 2	XB360	505 GAMES	505 GAMES

DS explosion this week! Lego LOTR at #11 and Moshi Monsters at #10, while the 3DS versions are nowhere to be found. No wonder Warner keep gimping the Vita/3DS versions of these games to keep making DS titles.

3 Vita and two Wii-U games in the top 40 as well, we must be approaching some kind of record.

Although, pretty terrible opening from Batman on Vita (and even worse on 3DS edit: Nvm, 3DS version didn't release this week); and terrible opening from Wii Party U (although it should have some legs).  Sonic has tumbled out of the top 40 too.

(For reference, Deus Ex Wii-U charted at #4 in the individual Wii-U charts).

Seems like a pretty low opening from that Sims 3 expansion pack as well.

Pleased Kingdom Hearts 3 is still doing well though. NFS: MW has hung around all year too, which is cool.

Good to see Killzone Mercenary still hanging and what three vita games!!

It seems that Wii Party flopped in UK (at least 1st week). Not an all intersting week, I'm waiting for week ending November 9th for that.

Guardian splits are up:

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/28/uk-top-20-video-games-chart

2% for Batman on Vita, so maybe ~ 2000 units? Terrible.

Apparently Animal Crossing got 101% of its sales from 3DS this week, which is interesting.

How long had Wii Party U been on sale though?

Can you tell us if The Last Guardian has been released as well?

"2 titles climb back in to the Top 10 this week thanks to a successful hardware promotion: Warner’s ‘Lego The Lord of the Rings’ climbs 11 places to No8 (+266%) and Mind Candy’s ‘Moshi Monsters: Katsuma Unleashed’ climbs 20 places to No9 (+350%)."

Moshi Monsters is only on DS and 3DS. Are people buying DS's again (we have 550 for all Europe last week in the front page...), or stores bundling DS games with 3DS's? Something doesn't seem right.

According to GAF, there was an Argos promotion (catalogue store) of a 2DS + Lego LOTR + Moshi Monsters for £99 which caused this massive rise.

They're also the store who were selling Vita + Killzone + Virtua Tennis for £140 which catapulted them back into the top 40.

Weren't some stores having 2DS bundles with DS games? Perhaps it's related.

Edit: Zu late...