The PC digital sales reign of Aion has drawn to a close. The top spot on Steam last week was claimed by the newly-opened Left 4 Dead 2 pre-orders--no surprise considering its pre-order numbers are running at 300% of the original's--while Direct2Drive saw the coronation of Gothic developer Piranha Bytes' new RPG Risen.

Post-apocalyptic MMO Fallen Earth has already dropped from Steam's charts, though it's holding steady at D2D--resisting the advances of the ongoing fifth anniversary $5 sale.

Of course, it's important to note Aion has standard and collector's editions high in both charts, though it's impossible to judge whether combined they would claim the top spot.

Steam Top Ten (9/27 - 10/3) by revenue

1. Left 4 Dead 2 (pre-order) / Valve
2. Left 4 Dead / Valve
3. Aion Collector's Edition / NCSoft... Read more

NCsoft's fantasy MMO Aion once again dominated the digital PC sales arena last week. The title took the top two slots on both the Steam and Direct2Drive charts with its collector's edition and standard download, respectively. The plucky post-apocalyptic MMO Fallen Earth also seems to be doing well, capturing the third slot on both lists. Beyond the massively multiplayer stuff, Direct2Drive's five dollar sales are clearly pushing numbers, and Steam is still selling Counter-Strike.

Steam Top Ten (9/20 - 9/26):

1. Aion Collector's Edition
2. Aion
3. Fallen Earth... Read more

NCsoft's latest MMO Aion topped both the Steam and Direct2Drive sales charts leading up to the game's North American launch today. Cryptic's own massive multiplayer title Champions Online continued to rack up sales following its recent September 1 opening, while Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Asylum did well in its debut week on PC.

Steam Top Sellers (9/13 - 9/19):

1. Aion Collector's Edition (Pre-Sale)
2. Batman: Arkham Asylum
3. Resident Evil 5
4. Star Wars Jedi Knight Collection
5. Garry's Mod... Read more

The digital re-release of BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was obviously quite popular, just not quite enough to topple the resident MMO powerhouses.

Meanwhile, Street Fighter IV, Braid and the vanilla version of Civilization 4 all rose back up in the download charts thanks to temporary discounts. It'll be interesting to see how D2D's continuing 5-week 50 games for $5 sale will affect the charts moving forward.

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (9/6 - 9/12)

1. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft
2. Champions Online / Cryptic
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic / BioWare... Read more

Upcoming MMOs topped the PC sales charts this week, indicating strong interest in both Champions Online and Aion. Meanwhile, TimeGate's just-released shooter Section 8 charted on both Direct2Drive and Steam, while the PC version of Street Fighter IV continues to do well.

Steam Top Ten: 8/30 - 9/5

1. Champions Online
2. Aion Collector's Edition (Pre-Order)
3. Street Fighter IV... Read more

If this week's breakdown of the best-selling titles from digital distribution outlets Steam and Direct2Drive looks a bit familiar, that's probably because you saw last week's list.

Sure, there are some subtle differences--the THQ Collector Pack and Call of Duty 4 weren't on last week's Steam list, CoD: World at War and The Witcher are new to this week's Direct2Drive chart--but mostly, it's the same stuff in a slightly different order.

That said, things are bound to change soon. With Champions Online launching in North America and Europe this week, pre-orders for the MMO probably won't top Direct2Drive's chart much longer, and with Aion and Fallen Earth also launching here in the next few weeks, it'll be interesting to see how September's MMO trio performs post-release.

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (8/23 - 8/29)

1. Left 4 Dead / Valve
2. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft... Read more

September's forthcoming assault of massively multiplayer games continues to dominate the sales charts, as pre-orders for Aion appear on both Steam and Direct2Drive's listings, with Direct2Drive also seeing Champions Online and Fallen Earth rank highly. The respective figures for each digital distribution outlet follow below:

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (8/16 - 8/22)

1. Left 4 Dead / Valve
2. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft
3. Counter-Strike: Source / Valve ... Read more

Deals and discounts were the shining stars of the past week, as close to half of the top-selling games for both Steam and Direct2Drive were either bundled with temporary savings--D2D had Fallout 3 at half-price over the weekend, for example--or a pre-order incentive, such as beta access (Aion, Champions) or free games (Red Faction).

A rundown of the top games from each digital distribution outlet is below, but first, a quick note. Originally, Steam's "absolute, autonomous, freewheeling, grassroots, nonaligned, nonpartisan, sovereign, unconstrained, uncontrolled, unregimented games pack" (a.k.a. the Indie Game Bundle) topped the Steam chart, but the list was updated after the sale ended and that entry removed. With that out of the way, on to the charts!

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (8/2 - 8/8)

1. Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II / Relic Entertainment
2. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft... Read more

This week's digital PC sales charts saw the digital release of The Sims 3 once again matching the performance of its retail brother on Direct2Drive.

Meanwhile, a recent 50%-off Steam sale for Dawn of War II spurred sales of Relic's tactical RTS, pushing it to the top of the Valve charts.

Digital preorder sales for NCsoft's MMO Aion also remain strong, capturing top spots on both lists.

Steam's top 10 sellers for the week of 7/26 - 8/1:

1. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
2. Aion: Collector's Edition (Preorder)
3. Left 4 Dead... Read more

With that fresh "new week" smell still lingering in the air, digital distribution outlets Steam and Direct2Drive have celebrated last week's passing with a look at what was popular then. As you'd expect, The Sims 3 did well, as did the Monkey Island re-release. Direct2Drive's Top Ten (7/19 - 7/25)

1. The Sims 3 / The Sims Studio
2. ARMA 2 / Bohemia Interactive
3. Dawn of Discovery (ANNO 1404) / Related Designs... Read more

This week's PC digital distribution sales lists are in, revealing a strong opening performance by Telltale's Tales of Monkey Island.

The revival of the classic LucasArts franchise bested all Steam sellers last week, while respectably charting at the ninth position on Direct2Drive.

Check out the top 10 lists for both Steam and Direct2Drive below:

Steam Top 10 (7/5 - 7/11)

1. Tales of Monkey Island
2. Street Fighter IV
3. Fallout 3... Read more

Last week's Direct2Drive and Steam sales lists are in, and both Bohemia's shooter ArmA 2 and Related Designs' strategy title Dawn of Discovery performed well across both services.

Enticing weekend Steam sales also saw several titles shoot up to the top of Valve's list. The 50% off sale of Fallout 3 drew enough gamers to put it at the top of the charts, while the 2K Huge Games Pack saw plenty of action.

Meanwhile, Frozenbyte's lauded fantasy platformer Trine debuted in ninth position on the Steam chart, beating out Counter-Strike: Source, which usually charts in the middle of the pack.

The weekly top ten sellers for both distributors follow:... Read more

Research firm The NPD Group will no longer release its weekly charts of the ten best-selling PC games at United States retailers to the media, the company has confirmed with Shacknews. It will still issue monthly PC sales charts to the public, though, with the entirety of the sales data, as always, available to NPD's paying clients.

No reason was given for the switch, though we've asked for more details. Back in 2007, the company opted to stop publicly releasing its monthly sales figures and listings for consoles, though it quickly reversed that decision following public outcry.

However, PC digital distribution outlets Steam and Direct2Drive continue to release their weekly worldwide sales charts. And with NPD's week-long delay of its retail sales data no longer presenting an obstacle for per-week comparisons with Steam and Direct2Drive's data, the digital distribution charts will now be posted in a more timely manner.

As such, the past two week's worth of Direct2Drive and Steam charts follow:

Direct2Drive's Top Ten (6/7 - 6/13)

1. The Sims 3 - Electronic Arts
2. The Sims 3 (Mac) - Electronic Arts
3. Prototype - Radical... Read more

Given that The Sims 3 sold over 1.4 million units at launch, it's little surprise that it topped not only the weekly PC games sales chart but overall PC software sales too.

Digital distributer Direct 2 Drive also saw a glut of Sims 3 sales, including a flood of Mac edition sales. Over on Valve's Sims-less Steam, Left 4 Dead has risen to claim the top spot unperturbed by the E3 announcement that Left 4 Dead 2 is coming November 17.

NPD's Top Ten (5/31 - 6/6)

1. The Sims 3 / EA Maxis / $49
2. The Sims 3 Collector's Edition / EA Maxis / $69
3. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
4. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $38
5. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $40... Read more

Research group NPD's list of the 20 best-selling PC games in May shows mostly the usual players--Blizzard and Maxis--in their usual comfy chairs, slightly rearranged.

Spore climbs five places following a $10 price cut, while StarCraft 2's imminent beta no doubt plays a hand in the StarCraft Battle Chest's rise of two spots. Outsiders Left 4 Dead and Empire: Total War manage to retain their lofty positions from last month.

Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics make a welcome and notable comeback in the $20 Fallout Trilogy pack. Fellow RPG Oblivion also returns in Game of the Year form at 17.

1. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $39
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. World of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $38
4. World of Warcraft / Blizzard / $20
5. Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly / $43... Read more

At long last, digital distribution outlet Steam has joined NPD and Direct2Drive in providing weekly sales data, providing for a wider view of the PC gaming landscape.

Of course, there's a twist. Steam lists its weekly sales by revenue, instead of unit sales, so comparisons between NPD's retail charts and D2D's downloads aren't valid. Regardless, it's more information than we had before, which is always nice.

Charts for the week of 5/24 - 5/30 follow below. Remember, NPD only tracks retail sales in North America, while Steam and D2D provide a glimpse of worldwide download sales. Lastly, expect The Sims 3, which hit on June 2, to dominate next week's listings.

NPD's Top Ten (5/24 - 5/30)

1. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
2. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $39
3. Spore / EA Maxis / $40
4. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $40... Read more

Creative Assembly's Empire: Total War gained ground on the sales list in an otherwise slow week for the PC retail sector.

The strategy title, bolstered by several recent patches, managed a third place finish, while list stalwarts World of Warcraft, Left 4 Dead, Spore and Fallout hung on for largely typical placement.

On the Direct2Drive side, the outlet's 75% off sale for Mount & Blade kept that game at the top, while Sacred 2, Battlestations: Pacific and the new Civilization IV: The Complete Edition rounded out the leading titles.

NPD's Top Ten (5/10 - 5/16)

1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $39
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly / $33
4. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $35
5. Left 4 Dead / Valve / $29... Read more

As with last week and the weeks before, the lack of a major PC release means that NPD's list of the best-selling PC games at US stores hasn't changed much. WoW and Spore moved up, Empire and Fallout went down, and Bejeweled replaced Demigod.

Fortunately, digital download provider Direct2Drive saw a bit more variety, thanks a 75% off sale on Mount & Blade and a 50% off promotion on Men of War and Cryostasis.

NPD's Top Ten (5/3 - 5/9)

1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $36
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. Left 4 Dead / Valve / $29
4. World Of Warcraft / Blizzard / $20
5. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $40... Read more

Sales-tracking research firm The NPD Group has once again chimed in with its monthly analysis of the United States' software market, providing us with a list of the 20 best-selling PC games at traditional US retailers during April 2009.

The Warcraft III Battle Chest joined the six Blizzard games that were already on March's list, meaning that Blizzard served up 35% of the top 20--more than any other studio--all by itself. World of Warcraft's Lich King expansion regained the top spot from Creative Assembly's Empire: Total War, and Relic's Dawn of War II dropped from #4 to #15.

Also of interest is the sudden appearance of Illusion Softworks' 2003 shooter Hidden & Dangerous 2 at #20. I'm sure the $5 price helped, but that's certainly an odd revival.

1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $35
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $36
4. Company of Heroes: Tales of Valor / Relic / $29
5. Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly / $48... Read more

If you've been paying attention to the recent sales charts, you pretty much know what to expect from NPD and its listing of the ten best-selling PC games at U.S. retailers.

Still, there's one surprise tucked away in there: Interplay's recent "Fallout Trilogy" bundle--packing Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics--popped up as #7 on NPD's chart.

As usual, digital distribution outlet Direct2Drive saw some significant changes to its best-sellers over last week, mostly thanks to a recent sale on Ubisoft-published titles.

NPD's Top Ten (4/26 - 5/2)

1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $32
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. Left 4 Dead / Valve / $29
4. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $39... Read more