GTA 4, Smash Bros. Are 2008's Best Selling Games; Sales-tracking Global Supergroup Formed

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Sales-tracking firms NPD, Chart-Track and Enterbrain today announced that they will be releasing a monthly Top Global Markets Report, which will provide a glimpse of the retail game sales in the US, UK and Japan.

The report is said to be "a single source for sales data" for the "the largest games markets in the world."

Below are the results of the first report, detailing sales from January to July:

  1. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, 360 / Rockstar North) - 6.29M
    (4.71M US, 1.58M UK, Not yet released in Japan)
  2. Super Smash Bros Brawl (Wii / Nintendo) - 5.43M
    (3.53M US, 213K UK, 1.68M Japan)
  3. Mario Kart Wii (Wii / Nintendo) - 4.69M
    (2.4M US, 687K UK, 1.6M Japan)
  4. Wii Fit (Wii / Nintendo) - 3.6M
    (1.43M US, 624K UK, 1.54M Japan)
  5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock * - 3.47M
    (3.03M US, 412K UK, 26K Japan)

While Grand Theft Auto IV publisher Take-Two claimed the game had sold 8.5 million units, and shipped 11 million back in June, NPD analyst David Riley explained Top Global's missing 2.21M as a result of sales outside the US and UK.

"To be clear, [the report] is not a global product. It covers only the top global markets--US, UK and Japan," he explained. "Global is coming but let's not put the cart before the horse."

*(PS2, PS3, 360, Wii / Budcat, Neversoft, Vicarious Visions)

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    August 21, 2008 8:53 AM

    Holy....... Wii Fit sold 3.6m?

    • reply
      August 21, 2008 9:12 AM

      And 60% only ever played it once.

      • reply
        August 21, 2008 9:22 AM

        And Xbox Europe VP David Gosen has 60% of my dick up his ass.

        • reply
          August 21, 2008 9:44 AM

          Do you own a WiiFit? Are you currently playing it regularly?

          I told my friends who wanted them and found them that it'll only last them a month tops. Of the 4 I know none use it anymore but they still play WiiSports.

          The figure may be questionable but it brings some insight into how much you can make games last for. It'll impact on sales of DLC and how well a sequel will sell.

          • reply
            August 25, 2008 11:30 AM

            Yes, and yes. But I don't think it's fair to measure the novelty of a game that also happens to be exercise equipment. I think a person's willpower factors a great deal into the replay "value" of the Wii Fit.

            What percentage of people who buy exercise equipment eventually just let it gather dust? More than 60%, I would imagine. I think the key in determining the Wii Fit's effectiveness is comparing Wii Fit to other exercise equipment.

        • reply
          August 21, 2008 9:45 AM

          8 inches?

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