UK Charts: Pro Evolution Soccer Scores For Konami

Electronic Arts' soccer title FIFA 09 has been replaced at the top of the UK charts by arch rival Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 from Konami. However, PES’s debut has failed to best that of FIFA 09’s two weeks ago, with the Xbox 360 version of EA’s title selling 2.66 times as much on its debut. Last year, the Xbox 360 versions of both games sold in almost equal numbers, although PES 2008 was subsequently the target of a larger number of user complaints over technical problem with the graphics and online service. As a result, the PlayStation 2 version was the most critically acclaimed, but this year, Konami has chosen to delay the PS2 release of the game for two weeks. The end result this year has been that Xbox 360 sales are down, while sales for the PlayStation 3 version are up 39 percent on 2008. As the best-selling version, the PlayStation 3 SKU accounted for 58 percent of sales, at number one in the individual format charts. The Xbox 360 version took 40 percent at number two and the PC version 2 percent at number 40. The other major release of the week is THQ’s Saints Row 2, which entered the combined format charts at number three, just behind FIFA 09. As is more normal in the UK charts, the Xbox 360 version was the biggest selling, although by an unusually high ratio of 73 percent – perhaps because of the lack of a PlayStation 3 version for the original. Outside of the top 10 the highest new entry is the new PS3 version of Take-Two’s Bioshock at number 20. After a shaky start, THQ’s Wii exclusive de Blob re-enters the charts with its highest position yet at number 31. Overall in the top 40, there are 17 titles for the Wii, seven each for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, four for the Nintendo DS, two each for the PSP and PlayStation 2, and one for the PC.

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2008. ELSPA Ltd