Saling The World: Wii Fit, Call of Duty Lead U.S. Console Sales

Gamasutra’s weekly column, “Saling The World”, covers the top five sellers for every available platform in the United States, Japan, and Europe, providing an important update of sales patterns worldwide.

This week’s charts, with data taken from January 29th, 2009, find Wii Fit topping the Wii charts in North America, as Call of Duty: World at War leads sales on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Data for “Saling The World” comes courtesy of the public sales information on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.co.jp, with sales split out for each platform and territory, and pre-orders disregarded. This results in a true sense of what games are selling worldwide on the real-time updated service, as follows:

Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. My Fitness Coach (Ubisoft), 4. Wii Play (Nintendo), 5. Active Life: Outdoor Challenge (Namco Bandai).

Japan: 1. Taiko no Tatsujin Wii (Namco), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Wii de Asobu: Mario Tennis GC (Nintendo), 4. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 5. Wii Sports (Nintendo).

UK: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. Wii Play (Nintendo), 4. Family Ski (Namco Bandai), 5. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (Sega).

The new year’s fitness trend continues this week, with three of this week’s top five Wii sellers in the U.S. promoting weight loss and healthier lifestyles. Wii Fit leads the pack, while My Fitness Coach and Active Life: Outdoor Challenge remain popular choices as well.

Wii Fit also takes the lead in Japan this week, pushing Taiko no Tatsujin Wii down to second place. Wii de Asobu: Mario Tennis GC recovers to take third, as Mario Kart Wii and Wii Sports close out the region’s top five.

Xbox 360
North America: 1. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision), 2. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 3. Left 4 Dead (EA Games), 4. Gears of War 2 (Microsoft), 5. Skate 2 (EA Games).

Japan: 1. Ninja Blade (From Software), 2. Tomb Raider: Underworld (Eidos), 3. Left 4 Dead (EA Games), 4. Fallout 3 (Bethesda), 5. Tales of Vesperia (Namco).

UK: 1. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 2. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision), 3. Fallout 3 (Bethesda), 4. Gears of War 2 (Microsoft), 5. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar).

A price drop puts Halo 3 back among the Xbox 360’s top sellers in North America this week. Left 4 Dead manages to trump Gears of War 2 in weekly sales for the first time this year, while Skate 2 again finishes at fifth place.

Ninja Blade and Tomb Raider: Underworld make strong showings in their first week of Japanese release, while Left 4 Dead drops to third in regional sales following its first-place debut last week.

PlayStation 3
North America: 1. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision), 2. LittleBigPlanet (SCEA), 3. BioShock (2K Games), 4. Burnout Paradise (EA Games), 5. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami).

Japan: 1. Fallout 3 (Bethesda), 2. Tomb Raider: Underworld (Eidos), 3. Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! — PlayStation 3 The Best (Sega), 4. Gundam Musou 2 (Bandai), 5. Naruto: Narultimate Storm (Bandai).

UK: 1. LittleBigPlanet (SCEE), 2. Resistance 2 (SCEE), 3. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 4. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Activision), 5. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar).

As anticipation builds for the upcoming release of Killzone 2, FPS fans turn to Call of Duty: World at War as their current shooter of choice on the PlayStation 3. LittleBigPlanet continues to see impressive sales from week to week, while BioShock returns to the U.S. top five following a drop in price at Amazon.

In Japan, Naruto: Narultimate Storm tumbles down to fifth place after maintaining consistently strong sales over the past two weeks. Fallout 3 and Tomb Raider: Underworld emerge as the week’s top Japanese sellers overall, as the recently rereleased Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! continues to move up the chart.

PlayStation 2
North America: 1. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 (Atlus), 2. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (Konami), 3. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 4. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES — Special Edition (Atlus), 5. God of War II (SCEA).

Japan: 1. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de Yumenoukihashi Special (Koei), 2. Harukanaru Toki no Naka de Yumenoukihashi Special — Treasure Box (Koei), 3. Dance Dance Revolution X (Konami), 4. Fate/Unlimited Codes — SP-BOX (Capcom), 5. Ryu ga Gotoku 2 — PlayStation 2 the Best (Sega).

UK: 1. SingStar: ABBA (SCEE), 2. Tomb Raider: Underworld (Eidos), 3. Persona 3 FES (Koei), 4. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 5. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (Konami).

Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection moves up to challenge Persona 4 for the top spot in this week’s North American PS2 rankings, but ultimately comes up short. Rock Band Special Edition also makes an impressive chart showing this week, beating out longtime chart favorites Persona 3: FES and God of War II.

PC
North America: 1. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (Blizzard), 2. Left 4 Dead (EA Games), 3. Fallout 3 (Bethesda), 4. World of Goo (Brighter Minds), 5. MLB Front Office Manager (2K Sports).

Japan: 1. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Season 4.0 Premium Package (E Frontier), 2. Left 4 Dead (Zoo), 3. Final Fantasy XI: The Vana’diel Collection (Square Enix), 4. RPG Tsukuuru VX (Enterbrain), 5. Generation Xth: Code Hazard (Experience).

UK: 1. Football Manager 2009 (Sega), 2. Left 4 Dead (EA Games), 3. Fallout 3 (Bethesda), 4. Spore (EA Games), 5. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (EA Games).

Last week’s PC chart champion The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle Earth Anthology abruptly disappears from the U.S. top five, while Wrath of the Lich King takes its place in this week’s results. The Game of the Year Edition of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion also drops out of the top five this week, while Left 4 Dead and World of Goo continue to move up the charts.

Nintendo DS
North America: 1. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 2. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 3. Brain Age (Nintendo), 4. Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force (Disney), 5. Brain Age 2 (Nintendo).

Japan: 1. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time (Square Enix), 2. Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode (Nintendo), 3. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Nintendo), 4. Megami Ibunroku: Devil Survivor (Atlus), 5. Pocket Monsters Platinum (Nintendo).

UK: 1. Professor Layton and the Curious Village (Nintendo), 2. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 3. More Brain Training (Nintendo), 4. Junior Brain Trainer (Avanquest), 5. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo).

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force returns to the Nintendo DS top five in North America following a sudden chart disappearance last week. The week’s results are otherwise predictable, with Mario Kart DS, New Super Mario Bros., and Brain Age continuing to lead the pack.

In Japan, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time finishes its first week of release at the top of the region’s Nintendo DS charts, with Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode and Rhythm Tengoku Gold trailing close behind.

PlayStation Portable
North America: 1. Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow (SCEA), 2. Star Ocean: Second Evolution (Square Enix), 3. Tekken: Dark Resurrection (Namco Bandai), 4. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar), 5. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA).

Japan: 1. Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 2 (Namco), 2. World Soccer Winning Eleven 2009 (Konami), 3. Dissidia: Final Fantasy (Square Enix), 4. Zill O’ll Infinite Plus (Koei), 5. Tales of the World: Radiant Mythology 2 — Special Edition (Namco)

UK: 1. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 2. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEE), 3. Call of Duty: Roads to Victory (Activision), 4. Lego Batman (Warner Bros.), 5. Football Manager Handheld 2009 (Sega).

Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow returns to the charts this week, finishing first in North American PSP sales and pushing last week’s sales leader Star Ocean: Second Evolution to second place. Tekken: Dark Resurrection also makes a surprise comeback after several months’ absence, as Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and God of War: Chains of Olympus finish out the regional top five.

UK Charts: Wii Fit Sprints Back To Number One

Nintendo’s Wii Fit has returned to the number one spot for the first time since August, in the latest UK weekly sales charts. The usual supply problems seem to have eased just in time for New Year’s health resolutions, bolstering the bundle in a week in which overall sales have fallen by a half.

With no new releases yet in the UK, the rest of the chart has merely shuffled around a few places, the only major exception being Touch! Generations title 100 Classic Book Collection for the Nintendo DS –- which moves up nine places to number eight.

In the combined format chart EA’s FIFA 09 remains the top selling title, although its lead over Activision’s Call of Duty: World at War has shrunk to just 400 units.

Elsewhere in the individual top 40, there are only a few new re-entries, all due to retailer discounts. Call of Duty 4 reappears on the Xbox 360 chart at number 31, Wall-E on Wii re-enters at 33, Guitar Hero III on Wii is at 36, Halo 3 at 38, Left 4 Dead on Xbox 360 at 39 and 42 All-Time Classics (aka Clubhouse Games on DS is at 40.

Overall in the top 40, there are 14 titles for the Xbox 360, 11 for the Wii, eight for the PlayStation 3, six for the Nintendo DS, one for the PC and none for the PlayStation 2 and PSP.

TW	LW	Title	Publisher	Format
1	9	Wii Fit	Nintendo	Wii
2	1	Wii Play	Nintendo	Wii
3	2	Mario Kart Wii	Nintendo	Wii
4	3	Call of Duty: World at War	Activision	360
5	6	Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training	Nintendo	360
6	4	Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games	Sega	Wii
7	5	Gears of War 2	Microsoft	360
8	17	100 Classic Book Collection	Nintendo	DS
9	8	Need for Speed: Undercover	EA	360
10	10	Call of Duty: World at War	Activision	PS3

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2009 ELSPA Ltd POSTED: 02.43AM PST, 01/13/09 – David Jenkins

Saling The World: Wii Fit, Fitness Coach Head New Year’s Sales

 

Gamasutra’s weekly column, “Saling The World”, covers the top five sellers for every available platform in the United States, Japan, and Europe, providing an important update of sales patterns worldwide.

This week’s charts, with data taken from January 8th, 2009, find titles likeWii Fit, My Fitness Coach, and Active Life Outdoor Challenge leading resolution-minded sales in North America, whileGundam Musou 2 and Dissidia: Final Fantasy head the charts in Japan.

Data for “Saling The World” comes courtesy of the public sales information on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Amazon.co.jp, with sales split out for each platform and territory, and pre-orders disregarded. This results in a true sense of what games are selling worldwide on the real-time updated service, as follows:

Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 2. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 3. Wii Play (Nintendo), 4. My Fitness Coach (Ubisoft), 5. Active Life Outdoor Challenge (Namco Bandai).

Japan: 1. Taiko no Tatsujin Wii (Namco), 2. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 3. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 4. Shape Boxing Wii de Enjoy Diet! (Rocket Company), 5. Wii Sports (Nintendo).

UK: 1. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo), 2. Wii Play (Nintendo), 3. Wii Fit (Nintendo), 4. Rayman Raving Rabbids: TV Party (Ubisoft), 5. Carnival: Fun Fair Games (2K Games).

The health and fitness genre leads post-holiday demand in North America, as Nintendo Wii owners appear eager to get in shape for the new year. Wii Fit remains the platform’s top seller, though Namco Bandai’s exercise mat-bundled Active Life Outdoor Challenge and Ubisoft’s recently released My Fitness Coach make strong showings this week as well.

The fitness trend also hits Japan, where Wii Fit and Shape Boxing finish among the week’s top titles. The drum controller-bundled Taiko no Tatsujin Wii takes top honors, while Wii Sports hangs on at fifth place.

Xbox 360
North America: 1. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision), 2. Gears of War 2 (Microsoft), 3. Left 4 Dead (EA Games), 4. Halo 3 (Microsoft), 5. Fallout 3 — Collector’s Edition (Bethesda).

Japan: 1. Tales of Vesperia (Namco), 2. Fallout 3 (Bethesda), 3. Gundam Musou 2 (Bandai), 4. Saints Row 2 (THQ Japan), 5. Civilization Revolution (Cyber Front).

UK: 1. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 2. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft), 3. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision), 4. Gears of War 2 (Microsoft), 5. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar).

Even after seeing brisk sales over the holidays, Call of Duty: World at Warand Gears of War 2 remain the Xbox 360’s top overall software sellers in North America. Demand for Left 4 Dead is on the rise, as the Collector’s Edition of Fallout 3 creeps into the regional top five following a discount in price at Amazon.

Elsewhere, Tales of Vesperia takes over in Japan, leaving Fallout 3 andGundam Musou 2 in its wake. FIFA 09 finishes first in Europe, meanwhile, as Far Cry 2 jumps up to take second place.

PlayStation 3
North America: 1. LittleBigPlanet (SCEA), 2. Call of Duty: World at War (Activision), 3. Grand Theft Auto IV (Rockstar), 4. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (Konami), 5. Resistance 2 (SCEA).

Japan: 1. Gundam Musou 2 (Bandai), 2. Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! — PlayStation 3 The Best (Sega), 3. Shirokishi Monogatari: Inishie no Kodou (SCEI), 4. Civilization Revolution (Cyber Front), 5. World Soccer Winning Eleven 2009 (Konami).

UK: 1. LittleBigPlanet (SCEE), 2. Mirror’s Edge (EA Games), 3. Fallout 3 (Bethesda), 4. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 5. Prince of Persia (Ubisoft).

New post-Christmas PlayStation 3 owners turn their attention to 2008’s biggest hits in this week’s sales results, with Grand Theft Auto IV andMetal Gear Solid 4 returning to the North American top five for the first time in several months. LittleBigPlanet remains the PS3’s biggest seller, while Call of Duty: World at War finishes at second place.

Gundam Musou 2 remains the top platform seller in Japan, while a rereleased Ryu ga Gotoku Kenzan! moves up a spot to take second place. The just-released Shirokishi Monogatari: Inishie no Kodou (White Knight Chronicles) drops to third place in this week’s findings, as World Soccer Winning Eleven rounds out the top five.

PlayStation 2
North America: 1. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 (Atlus), 2. Rock Band Special Edition (MTV Games), 3. Rock Band 2 (MTV Games), 4. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES — Special Edition (Atlus), 5. Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (Konami).

Japan: 1. Gundam Musou 2 (Bandai), 2. Fate/Unlimited Codes — SP-BOX (Capcom), 3. Hokuouki (Idea Factory), 4. Fate/Unlimited Codes (Capcom), 5. Persona 4 (Atlus).

UK: 1. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 2. SingStar: Boy Bands vs. Girl Bands (SCEE), 3. SingStar Legends (SCEE), 4. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts), 5. Quantum of Solace (Activision).

Persona 4 returns as this week’s top PS2 seller in North America, with sales driven by universally positive review scores and word-of-mouth. The discounted special edition of Persona 3 FES also sees a boost in popularity this week, while the recently released standalone edition ofRock Band 2 trails close behind its instrument-bundled predecessor.

Gundam Musou 2 remains a popular pick in Japan, where it overtakesFate/Unlimited Codes for the first time since its initial release. Idea Factory’s Hokuouki also showcases impressive chart staying power this week, as does the six-month-old Japanese edition of Persona 4.

PC
North America: 1. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (Blizzard), 2. Left 4 Dead (EA Games), 3. World of Warcraft Battle Chest (Blizzard), 4. The Sims 2: Double Deluxe (EA Games), 5. Spore (EA Games).

Japan: 1. Left 4 Dead (Zoo), 2. Monster Hunter Frontier Online Season 4.0 Premium Package (E Frontier), 3. Final Fantasy XI: The Vana’diel Collection (Square Enix), 4. Grand Theft Auto IV (Cyber Front), 5. Clannad Full Voice (KEY).

UK: 1. Football Manager 2009 (Sega), 2. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (EA Games), 3. Left 4 Dead (EA Games), 4. Call of Duty 4: Game of the Year Edition (Activision), 5. Far Cry 2 (Ubisoft).

Though Spore remained popular among Amazon customers throughout the holiday season, the title has since dropped to fifth place in North America’s PC sales charts. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King takes the top spot in its stead, while the World of Warcraft Battle Chestcompilation finishes third. Elsewhere, Left 4 Dead leads PC software sales in Japan, as Football Manager 2009 stays on top in the UK.

Nintendo DS
North America: 1. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo), 2. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo), 3. Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force (Disney), 4. Personal Trainer: Cooking (Nintendo), 5. Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir (Nintendo).

Japan: 1. Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode (Nintendo), 2. Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Nintendo), 3. Tongari Boushi no Mahou no 365 Nichi (Konami), 4. Pocket Monsters Platinum (Nintendo), 5. Penguin no Mondai: Saikyou Penguin Densetsu! (Konami).

UK: 1. Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training (Nintendo), 2. Puzzler Collection (Ubisoft), 3. More Brain Training (Nintendo), 4. 42 All-Time Classics (Nintendo), 5. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts).

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force falls to third place in this week’s North American ranking, while Mario Kart DS and New Super Mario Bros. head overall sales. Personal Trainer: Cooking remains a popular pick at Amazon, while Mystery Case Files: MillionHeir returns to the top five after a brief chart absence.

Konami’s Tongari Boushi no Mahou no 365 Nichi makes a comeback in this week’s Japanese charts, finishing third overall. Wagamama Fashion: Girls Mode leads overall platform sales, while Rhythm Tengoku Gold rejoins the top five at second place.

PlayStation Portable
North America: 1. God of War: Chains of Olympus (SCEA), 2. Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (Rockstar), 3. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix), 4. Madden NFL 09 (EA Sports), 5. Daxter (SCEA).

Japan: 1. Dissidia: Final Fantasy (Square Enix), 2. Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G — PSP the Best (Capcom), 3. Eiyuu Densetsu: Sora no Kiseki Set (Nihon Falcom), 4. Musou Orochi: Maou Sairin (Koei), 5. Maplus: Portable Navi 2 (Edia).

UK: 1. FIFA 09 (EA Sports), 2. Lego Batman (Warner Bros.), 3. Need for Speed: Undercover (EA Games), 4. Lego Indiana Jones (LucasArts), 5. Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (Konami).

God of War: Chains of Olympus returns to the top of the PSP charts in North America this week, with Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Storiesfinishing close behind at second place. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII takes third, while Daxter rounds out the top five at fifth place.

Dissidia: Final Fantasy spends another week at the top of the charts in Japan, as Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G makes another top five finish more than ten months after its initial release.