According to the latest United Kingdom-specific charts, Microsoft has achieved a rare Xbox-only number one in the UK, with
Halo 2 not only knocking off
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas from the top spot, but also becoming the third fastest selling title ever in the UK (behind
GTA: San Andreas and
GTA: Vice City).
Such an impact was expected for Microsoft’s key Christmas title, though, and the real test for the game will be its longevity. The much greater number of PlayStation 2 consoles in the country, versus the greater penetration of
Halo 2 amongst the smaller Xbox user base, may help to make the battle surprisingly close over the coming weeks.
This week’s new releases also sees the strongest ever performance for a WWE title in the UK, but a rather disappointing entry for Sony's Team Soho-developed
The Getaway sequel for PlayStation 2.
Although
Black Monday has received no better critical response than its predecessor, the original game was, before the release of
Halo 2, the third fastest selling game ever in the UK. The sequel’s more modest performance perhaps suggests that some consumers do not recall the game with the same fondness as the original
Grand Theft Auto or
Halo.
The third new entry in the top ten is EA’s
The Urbz, which has unfortunately suffered from some rather average reviews, while also being pitched at a somewhat different audience than normal
The Sims titles.
Outside of the top ten,
EyeToy: Play 2 has entered at number sixteen and
Ratchet & Clank 3 at number seventeen.
The Incredibles has debuted at only number twenty-three, but is likely to move high into the top ten as soon as the movie opens in the UK on the 19th November.
As ever in the UK, Nintendo have had a disappointing Christmas so far, with
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door entering at just thirty-six, despite considerable success in the U.S. and Japan, and
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap following behind at number thirty-seven.
| TW | LW | Title | Publisher | Formats | Weeks |
| 1 | NE | Halo 2 | Microsoft | Xbox | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Rockstar | PS2 | 3 |
| 3 | NE | WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW | THQ | PS2 | 1 |
| 4 | 2 | FIFA Football 2005 | EA | All | 6 |
| 5 | 3 | Football Manager 2005 | Sega | PC | 2 |
| 6 | NE | The Getaway: Black Monday | SCEE | PS2 | 1 |
| 7 | 4 | Pro Evolution Soccer 4 | Konami | PS2 | 5 |
| 8 | 10 | The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age | EA | PS2/Xb/GBA | 2 |
| 9 | NE | The Urbz: Sims in the City | EA | PS2/Xb/GC/GBA | 1 |
| 10 | NE | Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2005 | EA | PS2/Xb/GC/PC | 7 |
Official UK Leisure Software Charts (c)
ELSPA compiled by Chart-Track
