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EA, hackers win big off FIFA Ultimate Team
EA's increased revenues from FIFA 12's FIFA Ultimate Team DLC, coupled with our continuing coverage of consumer complaints over the "FIFA hack," stood out as awkward juxtaposition during EA's third quarter financial call yesterday."The innovation that makes this franchise so unique is FIFA Ultimate Team," President of EA Labels Frank Gibeau said yesterday on a call with investors. "In just three months, FIFA Ultimate Team generated $39 million in microtransactions. That's 69 percent more than it generated in the same period last year."Gibeau went on to say that because Ultimate Team is a microtransaction-based system, the company is able to generate a sizable number of big-spender consumer behaviors and it becomes a business that scales much more aggressively than other traditional DLC models.Chief Financial Officer Eric Brown added, "To put some rough numbers on this, if we compare the total digital revenue from FIFA 11 Ultimate Team to what we expect from FIFA 12 Ultimate Team in this fiscal year, we're looking to see a 25 percent increase franchise to franchise. The overall package goods units sold is not increasing by 25 percent year over year, so we are expanding by a decent margin the microtransaction revenue per user of FIFA."We continue to receive complaints nearly every day of non-FIFA players having their accounts hacked to purchase Ultimate Team DLC. EA previously responded to this by saying that "a small number" of gamers continue to report being impacted by fraudulent activity related to FIFA Ultimate Team on Xbox Live.
EA: Battlefield 3, FIFA 12 sell over 10 million units each, Madden 12 over 5 million
EA has revealed the sales numbers of a handful of its major titles, including FIFA 12 and Battlefield 3, which have both sold through over 10 million units since their respective launches in September and October. Meanwhile, Madden NFL 12 has sold through over five million units since launching last August.Remember that "sold through" actually refers to copies that have been sold to consumers -- as opposed to copies sold to retailers -- meaning that it's probably safe to call all three titles "hits" at this point.
Resident Evil: Revelations debuts strong on UK charts
Resident Evil: Revelations for 3DS is the first launch of the new year to break the UK Top 40, debuting in sixth on this week's chart. According to Chart-Track, it is also the seventh largest launch for a 3DS title.The top five this week are a shuffle of the standard. FIFA 12 defends its top position for a sixth straight week, with Modern Warfare 3, Skyrim and Just Dance 3 consecutively in step behind it.Looks like folks of the kingdoms united are still trying to lose those holiday pounds, as the Zumba hit parade goes on with Zumba Fitness slipping to seven and Zumba Fitness 2 taking tenth. The UK top ten can be found after the break.
FIFA 12 defends its UK sales championship, Rayman ascends
FIFA 12 ain't goin' nowhere, as the footie phenom holds the top spot on the UK sales charts for a fifth consecutive week. Chart-Track notes the title has already made more money than any other FIFA title to date, and is now tied for the second best chart-topping run of the franchise. It still has a bit to go though to beat FIFA World Cup 98, which had a record 11-week run.Skyrim flies up one spot into second, spinning Just Dance 3 into third. The Zumba hit parade keeps stomping along, with Zumba Fitness maintaining sixth and Zumba Fitness 2 sliding down one spot to eighth, making room for Saints Row: The Third. Holla!Thanks to some price promotion, the criminally ignored Rayman: Origins finally finds a spot in the top ten, spinning up eight spots into ninth place. Dubstep past the break for the UK top ten.
FIFA spends fourth week atop UK charts, exercise games perform well
FIFA 12 remains at the top of the UK chart for a fourth straight week, despite a 54 percent drop in sales. Nearly all the games on this week's top ten saw double-digit percentage drops in sales, as consumers adjust to the post-holiday rhythm. For example, Just Dance 3 had a 21 percent reduction, but moved up two spots into second. Skyrim had similar falling upwards, as it moved up two spots into third, with a 23 percent sales drop. It's currently a race of stamina on the charts. And very few top ten contenders have stamina quite like Zumba Fitness. The continued desire to work off Christmas pounds kept the original game in sixth place, as Zumba Fitness 2 moved into seventh. Other fitness games are also doing well, as Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012 for Kinect is up 173 percent, and so is Wii Fit Plus, holding spots at 12 and 27, respectively. Do some step exercises and walk on past the break for the UK top ten.
Modern Warfare 3 holiday numbers indicate franchise sales decline in UK
While the Call of Duty franchise has enjoyed year-over-year growth in terms of worldwide sales, numbers released this week for the UK tell a different story for that particular region. According to the UK's Entertainment Retailers Association, Modern Warfare 3 moved 2,814,298 units between launch on November 8 and December 31, 2011, while Call of Duty's 2010 entry, Black Ops, sold 3,266,298 across the same holiday sales period in the previous year. That's a decline of 452,000 units from Treyarch-developed Black Ops in 2010 to Infinity Ward/Sledgehammer Games-developed Modern Warfare 3 in 2011, though the latter was the fastest entertainment property in history to reach $1 billion in sales. As MCV points out, FIFA sales were also in decline in the UK, with nearly 200K fewer copies sold during 2011 than in 2010. All that said, let's not lose any sleep over the declines -- both CoD and FIFA's 2011 entries sold in the many millions in just the UK, let alone worldwide.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, FIFA 12 top UK sales in 2011
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was easily the best-selling game in the UK for 2011. Data released today by UKIE (compiled by Chart-Track) has Activision's behemoth franchise grossing a record-breaking £83 million in sales during its first week, which also turned out to be the biggest week of video game sales ever in the UK at £121m. The year 2011 was also the third year in a row Activision had the top-selling game -- and all from the same franchise, fancy that -- with Call of Duty: Black Ops in 2010 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in 2009. EA took both the silver and bronze with FIFA 12 and Battlefield 3, respectively. Both titles had stellar opening weeks in the UK and have consistently performed well in the all formats top ten since launch. The number four game for the year was Zumba Fitness, which should come as little surprise to anyone who followed our "summer of disbelief." The launch of the fitness title for the Wii kept the game atop the all formats chart for longer than we would have thought, but on the Wii chart it remained in first for a record-breaking 28 consecutive weeks. Find the all formats and console-specific chart toppers for 2011 after the break.
FIFA 12 kicks off year atop UK charts, Zumba returns
The first week of 2012 sees massive double-digit percentage drops across Chart-Track's UK sales top ten. FIFA 12 remains at the top, with a 63 percent drop, as Battlefield 3 takes second, despite it being hit with the exact same decrease in sales. Modern Warfare 3 moves into third and Just Dance 3 maintains fourth, with sales slipping 76 and 67 percent, respectively. With such huge post-holiday sales drops, a stalwart returns to the top ten in fifth: Zumba Fitness. The desire to work off those Christmas pounds sent the exercise game up 11 percent, returning it to the top ten from its exile in 19th place. Several other fitness titles also moved up the charts, despite seeing sales declines, as the chart finds its after the holidays equilibrium. Run past the break for the UK top ten -- we could all use it to work off that fruitcake, phew.
Xbox Live 'FIFA hack' concerns continue to escalate, Microsoft states Windows Live ID not compromised
Additional reporting provided by Xav de Matos, Senior Editor for Shacknews. Following an increasing occurrence of Xbox Live account hack reports, we are growing concerned over Microsoft's Windows Live ID system, the only layer of protection between a hacker gaining access to a person's Xbox Live account and their information. In our research, the only consistency we saw across users who were hacked was the general inconsistency of what email and payment method was used on their account. Hotmail, Gmail and school emails were used for their Windows Live ID, while payment methods used were credit cards and PayPal. Other than a compromised Windows Live ID, there wasn't a common thread we could identify. It's been several months since we started following the "FIFA hack," a rather blunt scam that saw Xbox Live accounts drained so thieves could purchase in-game FIFA 12 'Ultimate Team' cards for use and sale. We have been tracking the FIFA issue and following up on other tips that weren't necessarily rooted in the FIFA hack, but related in that users saw exploitation of payment methods tied to their account. A recent Shacknews editorial detailed accounts compromised by the FIFA exploit.
FIFA 12 finishes year atop UK charts, Old Republic slides way down
Chart-Track's UK sales chart for the week ending December 31, 2011, is up, showing the family-friendly footie time (don't go to a dark place, don't go to a dark place!) of FIFA closing out the year as champion. Nearly every game in the top eight held its position from the Christmas Eve list, except for Battlefield 3, which twirled Just Dance 3 around to take its spot in third. Chart-Track notes this is the second year in a row that the FIFA franchise has held the top spot during the final week. It's also the fourth time FIFA 12 has scored a first place finish, tying with FIFA 10 and FIFA 11's glory days. Star Wars: The Old Republic takes one of the largest dips we've seen on the charts, going from tenth place during launch week to 38. This would certainly be a time to call in the Ewoks for reinforcements, if it weren't for Old Republic being a PC game. It's reasonable to guess many sales are occurring through EA's Origin digital distribution network.
Old Republic debuts in 10th, FIFA runs up UK charts before Christmas
Chart-Track's UK sales list for the week leading up to Christmas Eve had FIFA 12 rallying, with sales up 34 percent, to score a first place finish. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 moved up one spot replacing Just Dance 3, which despite having a seven percent increase in sales, simply couldn't maintain its position and oscar mike'd into third. The big premiere of the week was EA's Star Wars: The Old Republic, which debuted in tenth place, having launched on Tuesday the 20th. This is irregular for the UK, since most games launch on Friday. Despite the extra time, the high-profile MMO's launch week didn't beat out Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The saving grace of The Old Republic's lower ranking premiere is Chart-Track doesn't count digitally distributed copies. According to EA, things are going well with its new MMO. Check out the UK's top ten games for the pre-Christmas week after the break.
FIFA 12 Vita walkthrough is more of a run-, pass- and shoot-through
FIFA 12 producer Matt Prior filmed a walkthrough of the game on Vita, and between the PR catchphrases about how easy its new controls will be, he offers insight into how players will most likely respond to the touchscreen handling. Prior says that most players begin with traditional controls, but once they use the front- and back-screen touch options to switch players, pass and shoot, they never go back. FIFA 12 on Vita is the first title to use the FIFA engine in a handheld, Prior says, and the game truly does look pretty once you peek around all those poking fingers.
CoD: Modern Warfare 3 not moving, Mario Kart 7 debuts strong on UK chart
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, with a slight sales gain of 2 percent, remains king of the hill for a fourth week in a row on Chart-Track's UK sales chart. Stalwart chart champion FIFA 12 pushed past Assassin's Creed: Revelations into second, but remained 55,000 units behind Modern Warfare 3. The big mover and shaker last week was Just Dance 3, up 54 percent, electric-sliding from eighth into fourth. Skyrim and Saints Row: The Third couldn't help but shout and inspire mayhem regarding this situation while sitting in fifth and sixth place, respectively. Mario Kart 7 was the only top 40 debut on the charts last week, driving up to an eighth place finish. Mamma mia! Here we go again. There were two titles that entered the top 40 in their second week. ABBA: You Can Dance (part of the Just Dance franchise) saw a 252 percent jump in sales into 30th place. Zumba Fitness 2, the sister succubi of a formerly unstoppable chart demon, is up 97 percent and creeps into the 34th spot. Check out the UK top ten after the break.
Modern Warfare 3 fights off Assassin's Creed: Revelations atop UK charts
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 had the biggest entertainment launch in history, so even with an 87 percent drop in unit sales last week, it's little surprise the shooter maintained its alpha position on the UK sales chart for its second week on retail shelves. Assassin's Creed: Revelations debuted in second, with the strongest opening yet for the franchise. Unit sales and revenue were up four and eight percent, respectively, from last year's Brotherhood launch. Not only was the latest Assassin adventure the strongest opening stab by the franchise to date, it was also the strongest premiere of any Ubisoft title. Skyrim slips from second to third, with Saints Row: The Third entering in fourth. The latest Saints Row crime spree is another strong sequel, with sales up 43 percent from Saints Row 2's launch three years ago. Last week also saw a slew of prominent premieres from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Super Mario 3D Land. Check out the UK top ten after the break.
Amazon offers more game Lightning Deals, plus $50 in credit with Xbox or PS3
Amazon is trying once again to lay claim to all of your money in a single day, with a set of video game Lightning Deals. If you're quick, you can grab the first right now: Phoenix Wright for $16. Judging by the clues, following deals should get you Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise, Sonic Free Riders, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, and more. If you're not into the rush of extremely time-limited deals, feel free to take the day to think about buying FIFA Soccer 12. You can see the whole list of deals here. If you need a console to play these impulse purchases on, Amazon is also offering $50 in credit with purchase of the 4GB Xbox, the Modern Warfare 3 bundle and the 160GB PS3.
Battlefield 3 holds the line, Uncharted 3 debuts in second on UK charts
Battlefield 3, despite experiencing a 54 percent drop in sales, maintained the top spot on Chart-Track's UK All Formats chart for another week. PS3 exclusive Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception debuted in second, with sales that were up 37 percent from the previous sequel, Among Thieves. The rest of the top ten features the usual suspects playing musical chairs, except for Just Dance 3, which refuses to give up its fifth-place chair. Other premieres last week included Sonic Generations and Goldeneye: Reloaded, entering at the tenth and 16th spots, respectively. The strong debut of the spikey blue mammal on meth means one should expect another 4+ Sonic games from Sega in 2012 (not that it wasn't going to happen anyway). This week will see the launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Expect the top title next week to sell more than that top 10 combined times two. Speaking of top ten, check last week's after the break.
Battlefield 3 secures top of UK charts
As expected, Electronic Arts and DICE's Battlefield 3 got the drop on its competitors and came out victorious atop the UK Charts, becoming the tenth biggest (by units) UK All Formats week one seller ever. Chart-Track notes that the game did double the sales of EA's Medal of Honor last year (which DICE also had a hand in), but here's the crazy stat: Battlefield 3's first week sales were greater than those of the last 17 Battlefield (retail) game debuts combined since 2002. The rest of the top five is a case of making room for Battlefield 3, with Batman: Arkham City justifiably moving down one spot, then FIFA 12 doing the same, and so on. Well, except for Just Dance 3, which maintains its spot in fifth, because it's protected by dark dance magic, provided by the power of the babe. Premieres this week include Namco Bandai's Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Tenkaichi at 23, also Kinect Sports: Season Two at 18. The original Kinect Sports was "by far the best-selling Kinect game in the UK," according to Chart-Track. Dance Central 2 does a little better in its second week, electric sliding from 40 to 34. Check out the UK top ten after the break.
EA suffers Q2 loss, revenue propped up by FIFA and Madden
EA's net performance during its second fiscal quarter, ended September 30, 2011, was either good or bad, depending on which net you're referring to. EA reported a net loss of $340 million, but scored a significant goal in shipping "nearly" 8 million copies of FIFA 12 -- half of the 16 million shipped in the game's lifetime. Overall sales of the footie franchise improved 25 percent year-over-year. Madden NFL 12 was another standout performer during the quarter, shipping more than 3 million units. EA also pointed out continued strong performance of 2010's Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (with shipments at 11 million so far). In a follow-up investor call last night, EA predicted similar fortunes from this quarter's Battlefield 3 launch, with store shipments already hitting 10 million. Though EA's bottom line certainly didn't improve for the quarter (net loss for Q2 2010 was $201 million), revenue was up overall to $715 million. The biggest increase was in net digital revenue -- the realm of add-ons and online passes -- which rose over 40 percent to $234 million compared to the same period last year. EA's next Q3 will provide a crucial look at the company's future, as it'll divulge Battlefield 3 sales and an early performance indication for BioWare's big-huge investment in Star Wars: The Old Republic.
FIFA Street, FIFA Football for Vita kick out new screens
Coming off the wildly successful launch of FIFA 12, EA Sports is hoping it can dip another footie franchise in the cash pool with FIFA Street next spring. The publisher has released several screens of the upcoming concrete turf game and FIFA Football for Vita.
FIFA 12 and Cars 2 in PSP hardware bundle this November
The arrival of a new PSP hardware bundle may seem ill-timed with the impending launch of the Vita, but Sony isn't about to stop catering to the gift-craving siblings, cousins and nephews of the world this holiday. And we don't know about you, but we don't have any nephews that are worth spending two hundred and fifty dollars on. Instead, for $160 you can pick up the new PSP Entertainment Pack, which includes a PSP-3000, 2GB Memory Stick Pro DUO, a UMD copy of soccer smash FIFA 12 and a download voucher for Cars 2 (a racing game, we'd venture). The bundle should be available on November 15th. If you're jumping into PlayStation Portable gaming now (and feel free to use the "nephew" excuse we fabricated above), you should keep an eye out for the Mega Man and Monster Hunter packs at Gamestop. That is, if you're willing to add UMD clutter to your life -- with an uncertain shot at backwards compatibility.
