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[sonycowboy]

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=10654

UK Charts: Madagascar back on top as movie licenses dominate
Illustration
Rob Fahey 14:31 09/08/2005

Talking animals replace cricket in the top spot as the summer lull continues

Activision's movie tie-in title Madagascar is back at the top of the UK software chart this week, climbing a single place to replace Codemasters' Brian Lara International Cricket 2005 in the number one spot.

Brian Lara drops to number three in the ranking this week, sandwiched by two more movie licensed titles - Take Two's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at number two, this week's biggest climber in the top ten, and Activision's Fantastic 4 at number four.

A mere 1000 sales separate the number one title from the number four title, however, marking tough competition at the top of the UK chart. All four of the top four titles sold more than double the number of units of the number five game, THQ's Destroy All Humans.

Only one new entry appeared in the UK chart this week, with Empire's PC title International Cricket Captain Ashes 2005 becoming the third cricket game to enter the chart in the last six weeks with a No.32 debut.

Next week is another quiet one on the new releases front, with the biggest new titles coming from Oxygen Interactive in the form of Pilot Down: Behind Enemy Lines on PC, Xbox and PS2, and Conspiracy: Weapons of Mass Destruction on Xbox.

Digital Jesters also have a pair of titles on the shelves on Friday, namely Coffee Break and Great Invasions - both on PC - while Zoo Digital drops Pac-Man Pinball on the GBA and Liquid Games have Sprint Car Challenge and The Arcade, both on PS2.

 

[u_neek]

Uk gamers suck. Period!

 

[Kroole]

Hihi.. UK

 

[fugimax]

The State of Gaming in the UK must really, really suck.

 

[Danj]

The State of Gaming in the UK must really, really suck.

It does. Of course this is not helped by the fact that lots of good games that get a US release never see the light of day over here.

 

[Solid]

Uk gamers suck. Period!

indeed. i always thought americans suck but the brits are even worse. pathetic.

oh well there are some good things on the list. ea is losing the cricket battle lol) and god of war is still on the list.

1. Madagascar (Activision)
2. Charlie et la Chocolaterie (Take 2)
3. Brian Lara International Cricket 2005 (Codemasters)
4. Fantastic Four (Activision)
5. Destroy All Humans! (THQ)
6. Medal of Honor : Les Faucons de Guerre (Electronic Arts)
7. Cricket 2005 (Electronic Arts)
8. LEGO Star Wars (Eidos)
9. Juiced (THQ)
10. Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas (Take-Two)
11. Pro Evolution Soccer 4 (Konami)
12. Worms 4 Mayhem (Codemasters)
13. Battlefield 2 (EA)
14. L'Entraîneur 5 : Saison 2004-2005 (Eidos)
15. God of War (Sony)
16. Star Wars : Episode III - La Revanche des Sith (LucasArts)
17. TimeSplitters Future Perfect (EA)
18. Star Wars : Battlefront (Activision)
19. Need for Speed Underground 2 (EA)
20. Tekken 5 (Namco)

it's really, really sad to see charlie and the cocolaat game as #2, when eurogamer gave it 2/10 last week!!

 

[Ghost]

I think the way they advertise the games is what really screws up the sales here..heres a couple of quotes from the fanstastic 4 Ad (all CG, made to look like in game footage)

"PSM Magazine says THE FANTASTIC 4 could be THE BEST SUPERHERO VIDEOGAME EVER"

Clearly a quote from a fucking preview...

"Some other magazine says THE MULTIPLAYER ACTION IS INTENSE"

..what intense means good now?



Seriously its no wonder people go out and buy these games when publishers are allowed to use adverts that A. Have no ingame footage and no warning concerning its absence, and B. Just cut quotes, out of context or from previews that didnt actually have hands on time with the game.


The Madagascar ad had similar problems but i dont think theres any quotes in that one (its all CG footage made to look like ingame though).


It pisses me off when adverts are so tightly regulated that alcohol adverts arent even allowed to show people having fun while drinking any more (seriously) but companies can still falsely advertise their products like this.

 

[Pakkidis]

If anybody still buys games based on the footage they see on commercials then they deserve to be ripped off!

 

[sonycowboy]

The State of Gaming in the UK must really, really suck.

Other than Cricket, if you were to combine multiplatform titles from the NPD like Chartrack does, the US would look much the same

 

[Ghost]

If anybody still buys games based on the footage they see on commercials then they deserve to be ripped off!

No they dont, thats my point.

 

[cja]

Ghost, I'm pretty sure that Fantastic Four TV ad with the "best superhero game evar!" nonsense is pre-fixed with "could be". Anyway, its pretty obvious they're using threadbare previews for the quotes. If consumers are stupid enough to take an advert at face value.. I'm with Pakkidis, their own dumb fault.

The State of Gaming in the UK must really, really suck.

T'is the school summer holidays. Nintendo have never been the most influential and Sega haven't released a Sonic game in ages so its not suprising the manufactured kiddie titles associated with film are going to sell. It helps that the American publisher market their mediocrity to death. Fantastic Four the game seems to the most prevalent advert on British TV at the moment.

 

[Mama Smurf]

I get the feeling, living in the UK, that people don't really pay much attention to reviews over here. They buy their games depending on what's advertised, what looks cool on the shelf, and known brands (whether within gaming or without, like Madagascar).

Plus you have to remember that the people actually into gaming (hardcore if you like) generally just buy pirated games over here. It's rife, I don't even have many friends who are gamers (well, none who are close friends), but anyone I know who is just has stacks of pirated copies.

 

[Dr Zhivago]

So what's the current top 20 look like in the US then?

 

[Link316]

So what's the current top 20 look like in the US then?

I doubt it'll be much different, Madagascar, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Four will probably all be up there