UK Sales Chart, Week Ending March 1st

After failing to dominate the Christmas charts in quite as unequivocal manner as usual, Electronic Arts has registered one of its best weeks in the UK charts for many months. Seven of the top ten titles are from the publisher, and all of those within the top eight. As much as it may be an object of pillory for more hardcore British gamers, the giant publisher’s FIFA Street 2 has entered straight in at number one, becoming one of three soccer titles in the top ten. A more surprising aspect of the top ten, though, is the presence of three PC exclusive titles, with the latest The Sims 2 expansion pack debuting at number three, and The Battle for Middle-Earth II also enjoying a strong opening week at number five. The highest new entry outside the top ten is Activision’s World Series of Poker at number sixteen, followed by massively multiplayer online role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach at number eighteen. Retro compilations have proven to be as popular on the PSP as the home formats in the UK, with Midway Arcade Treasures: Extended Play debuting at number twenty-three. The British public’s obsession with Sonic the Hedgehog is also well illustrated in the most peculiar new entry of the week, in the form of the PC budget re-release of Mega Drive (aka Genesis) hit Sonic and Knuckles at number thirty-three.

Leisure software charts compiled by Chart Track, (C)2006 ELSPA (UK) Ltd