f1-2012
Latest
Of course FIFA 13 is biggest thing since FIFA 12 in UK, PS3 'Super Slim' helps hardware
FIFA 13 debuted in the UK last week and the footie franchise dismissed last year's record-setting premiere. According to Chart-Track, FIFA 13 outsold the previous year's installment in units and revenue by 27 and 31 percent, respectively. The game represented 80 percent of all entertainment software sales on the British isles.Last week saw the biggest sales week in the UK of the year so far, with a 196 percent increase of unit sales in the market and 282 percent in overall revenue.FIFA 13 wasn't the only major player to come on the field last week, World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria got its kung-fu panda on in fourth. Although that may seem like a lowish debut for what's still one of the biggest MMOs in the world, it should be noted that the game was available digitally and therefore wouldn't be tracked.Finally, on the hardware front, the PS3 'Super Slim' 500 GB sent PS3 sales up 138 percent, with the console representing 37 percent of PS3 sales. Storm on past the break for the UK top ten.
Borderlands 2 beats Mass Effect 3 for biggest UK sales debut so far this year
Borderlands 2 launched straight to number one in the UK last week, with the strongest debut of 2012 so far, besting Mass Effect 3 by 4,000 sales, according to Chart-Track. For some historical context, the original Borderlands premiered in seventh place back in 2009, with the sequel outselling the previous installment during launch week 4 to 1.Gearbox's co-op shooter wasn't the only big premiere this week, both F1 2012 and Pro Evolution Soccer debuted strongly and took second and third place, respectively. Another newcomer last week was LittleBigPlanet Vita in sixth, which had the "biggest sales week for a non-hardware launch week Vita title." Leap past the break for the UK top ten.
Warner Bros. to distribute Codemasters games in 2012
British developer/publisher Codemasters has left THQ Partners, who handled its distribution in the Americas during 2011, in favor of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, who will now take care of distribution, sales and marketing for all of Codemasters' 2012 releases in North and South America, including Dirt Showdown and F1 2012.Fake eyewitness accounts report seeing THQ Publishing outside of Codemasters' bedroom window, holding a ghetto blaster above its head that was said to be playing "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel. We have, however, received conflicting reports that a freshly embittered THQ Publishing has opened a record shop and hired a young and enthusiastic Jack Black to work behind the counter.
