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PAL Charts - Week 1, 2015

Flappy

Banned
Captain Toad off to a bad start, not good in 2015 already :/

UK.

If it's not football, shooting, or driving, it sells like shit over here. Sadly. I actually rank us as the most closed-minded country in the world, when it comes to gaming choice.

It's the UK chart, WiiU is dead there, can't expect more from a game.

It's not dead here (Or CT wouldn't have even charted). But it is a niche platform over here.
 
UK.

If it's not football, shooting, or driving, it sells like shit over here. Sadly. I actually rank us as the most closed-minded country in the world, when it comes to gaming choice.

Well the wii u not selling at all is a damn fine reason as well.
 

Flappy

Banned
Well the wii u not selling at all is a damn fine reason as well.

Yeah. Because it doesn't have many football, shooting, or driving games :p

To be honest, Captain Toad is quite high for a niche game on a niche platform. I'm actually impressed how well it's done.
 

Flappy

Banned
Thats a blatant lie.

When you have spent almost 30 years following the gaming charts. You tend to notice trends.

Now and then an original game may slip through the cracks and sell well (Minecraft). But the days of seeing puzzle or platform games in the top ten are long gone over here. Long gone.
 

Steroyd

Member
No idea why they keep on trying. FIFA is too popular here.

It used to stay in the UK charts for a good solid 10 months without the license, without the presentation etc, and actually chipped at marketshare, the leap to HD has been a terrible one, but it's not to say PES can't claw itself back or isn't profitable despite sales being a shadow of itself these days.
 

maxcriden

Member
I don't think either side of the argument is providing much empirical evidence per se, but I do have to say my observations of the charts have been by and large the same as Flappy's. Sports, driving and shooting games seem to perform exceptionally well compared to most other kinds of properties. Then again, I think this is fairly true throughout the Western gaming charts, although Nintendo-type games do seem to do better in France and America.
 

Fdkn

Member
When you have spent almost 30 years following the gaming charts. You tend to notice trends.

Now and then an original game may slip through the cracks and sell well (Minecraft). But the days of seeing puzzle or platform games in the top ten are long gone over here. Long gone.

That has nothing to do with the UK, its the same everywhere in Europe and NA

Calling UK the most closed-minded because your loved Nintendo is selling poorly is laughable.
 

Bumhead

Banned
When you have spent almost 30 years following the gaming charts. You tend to notice trends.

Now and then an original game may slip through the cracks and sell well (Minecraft). But the days of seeing puzzle or platform games in the top ten are long gone over here. Long gone.

November's NPD charts for the US contained 2 sports games, 3 shooting games and 1 driving and shooting game. The remaining games were Assassins Creed Unity (annual franchise), Smash Brothers Wii U and 2 spots taken up by Pokemon.

Nintendo and in particular the Wii U just aren't that popular in the UK, but "familiar" charts aren't a problem exclusive to the UK, and it doesn't mean the market here is close minded.
 
When you have spent almost 30 years following the gaming charts. You tend to notice trends.

Now and then an original game may slip through the cracks and sell well (Minecraft). But the days of seeing puzzle or platform games in the top ten are long gone over here. Long gone.

I don't think either side of the argument is providing much empirical evidence per se, but I do have to say my observations of the charts have been by and large the same as Flappy's. Sports, driving and shooting games seem to perform exceptionally well compared to most other kinds of properties. Then again, I think this is fairly true throughout the Western gaming charts, although Nintendo-type games do seem to do better in France and America.

Its because its such a ridiculous claim and probabaly based on the sentiment that my favourite game bombed.

Those games that you say do so well....FIFA, COD, GTA, GT etc well their great performance is not exclusive to the UK.

FIFA and GT sell very well throughout the entirety of Europe. COD and GTA sell extremely well nearly everywhere in the world.

Captain Toad most likely did poorly in most other countries as well.

These trends are not exclusive to UK. I can listen a dozen games from different genre's that did well in the UK. WiiU's horrible sales and consequently bad software sales are a problem globally albeit more severe in the UK.
 

Flappy

Banned
Calling UK the most closed-minded because your loved Nintendo is selling poorly is laughable.

Look at the EU charts (Over time, not just the last few weeks), then the UK. The diversity in taste is huge. Hell, I once saw Sly Cooper 4 at number one for weeks in one European country. That would never happen in the UK these days. Almost impossible now.

Anyway. My comment appears to have ruffled feathers. So i'm out.

SuaveExit.gif
 

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
November's NPD charts for the US contained 2 sports games, 3 shooting games and 1 driving and shooting game. The remaining games were Assassins Creed Unity (annual franchise), Smash Brothers Wii U and 2 spots taken up by Pokemon.

Nintendo and in particular the Wii U just aren't that popular in the UK, but "familiar" charts aren't a problem exclusive to the UK, and it doesn't mean the market here is close minded.

Still, that's four games not fitting into these categories versus one in UK. And it's not just an issue of Nintendo's popularity, on Xbox One and PS4 there are some games that do not fit into that category either, say LittleBigPlanet 3, Project Spark, Killer Instinct, Shadow of Mordor or Dragon Age.
 

maxcriden

Member
Its because its such a ridiculous claim and probabaly based on the sentiment that my favourite game bombed.

Those games that you say do so well....FIFA, COD, GTA, GT etc well their great performance is not exclusive to the UK.

FIFA and GT sell very well throughout the entirety of Europe. COD and GTA sell extremely well nearly everywhere in the world.

Captain Toad most likely did poorly in most other countries as well.

These trends are not exclusive to UK. I can listen a dozen games from different genre's that did well in the UK. WiiU's horrible sales and consequently bad software sales are a problem globally albeit more severe in the UK.

FWIW I think everything you said is spot on. I just think the UK even more than other Western countries has been summarily disinterested in the Wii U. (Not that that's their fault, necessarily.)
 

Kikujiro

Member
When you have spent almost 30 years following the gaming charts. You tend to notice trends.

Now and then an original game may slip through the cracks and sell well (Minecraft). But the days of seeing puzzle or platform games in the top ten are long gone over here. Long gone.

That's because people play puzzle games on their iPhones, the UK chart is the same as every other Western country. Outside of WiiU games charting a little better in the US and France can you point me what makes those markets less close-minded? Because the big sellers are the same (just look at this week French chart) and Bayonetta bombed everywhere.

We can say that Japanese people are extremely close-minded because they only buy Monster Hunter clones, Musous clones, Pokemon clones and anime moe games.
 

maxcriden

Member
That's because people play puzzle games on their iPhones, the UK chart is the same as every other Western country. Outside of WiiU games charting a little better in the US and France can you point me what makes those markets less close-minded? Because the big sellers are the same (just look at this week French chart) and Bayonetta bombed everywhere.

We can say that Japanese people are extremely close-minded because they only buy Monster Hunter clones, Musous clones, Pokemon clones and anime moe games.

For what it's worth, I agree with your line of thinking here. I don't think Japanese would be considered closed minded, though, nor UK gamers. I think audiences just mostly like to play, listen and consume what us comfortable and familiar for them. I think that typically goes for most countries.
 

geordiemp

Member
When you have spent almost 30 years following the gaming charts. You tend to notice trends.

.

You will have noticed the trend that the WiiU commercially died along time ago then in the UK PAL charts. Many shops removed it from shelf space quite a while ago.

You will of also noticed that a WiiU plus a couple of games that a consumer may want is often more expensive than the Xb1 in UK with ridiculous prices of WiiU hardware and older software - this is not USA. A premium WiiU with Mario and Smash is almost £ 300 in UK.

You may also of noticed that plat formers and simpler games are now almost expected to be digital and £ 10 - £ 20 and are like a fine starter or filler, but they are not really £ 55 full release material in most buyers eyes. Stuff like Rayman should be on PSN etc.
 

Vashetti

Banned
Look at the EU charts (Over time, not just the last few weeks), then the UK. The diversity in taste is huge. Hell, I once saw Sly Cooper 4 at number one for weeks in one European country. That would never happen in the UK these days. Almost impossible now.

Anyway. My comment appears to have ruffled feathers. So i'm out.

SuaveExit.gif

Don't tip your fedora too hard on the way out.
 

geordiemp

Member
It's a Bowler.

You not the only UK guy here you know. Lets face it, A game like GTA 5 or Far Cry can release in UK at £ 55 RSP and they will sell.

Shops will discount stuff and it will creep down to £ 40-£ 45.

Some games after a few weeks bomb down to £ 20-£ 30 and really more aligned to what a consumer will pay for that game (See Metro)

A platformer like Rayman or the like has a perceived value, and it sold quite nice when under £ 20, but be real its not a £ 55 AAA game.

In the same way Captain toad is a shortish puzzle game, and would probably sell really well if it was under £ 15 and was not exclusive to a platform few people own.
 

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
A platformer like Rayman or the like has a perceived value, and it sold quite nice when under £ 20, but be real its not a £ 55 AAA game.
And why is it not a 55 pound game? There is no inherent reason why a platform should not be full-price.
 

Flappy

Banned
A platformer like Rayman or the like has a perceived value, and it sold quite nice when under £ 20, but be real its not a £ 55 AAA game.

Well platformers are still £50 AAA games to me :(

It depreses me that one of the most beloved genres of the past has been reduced to sub-£10 digital games :(
 
I don't think i have seen a Wii U specific marketing campaign in the UK since Mario Kart.

3DS always gets one with Pokemon which makes sense.

Also it does not help when Europe gets Nintendo games later. This isn't the 90's I wouldn't be surprised if retailers break street date with Kirby when ever it comes out here.
 

geordiemp

Member
Well platformers are still £50 AAA games to me :(

It depreses me that one of the most beloved genres of the past has been reduced to sub-£10 digital games :(

Platformers are 'simpler' games, they should budget and cost less than what we consider AAA games.

Puzzle, platformer and such simpler games are 2 a penny on Tablet and phone, so there is your answer.
 

Mpl90

Two copies sold? That's not a bomb guys, stop trolling!!!
I think saying that UK is a country with quite close-minded tastes compared to the rest of other major countries isn't unfair, sincerly. It's not just because Nintendo games and consoles suffer (or, in Wii U's case, suffer even more), but also considering how more Japanese titles tend to sell. I still remember when Ninokuni debuted at first and I considered that a miracle, honestly :lol

It's not that COD, FIFA, AC and all those titles do well in UK and they don't sell outside of UK, because we know these titles sell a lot outside of UK. It's that those titles sell and whatever doesn't fit that (with some exceptions) suffer majorly compared to other european countries or US too. Relatively to the size of each market, of course.
 

down 2 orth

Member
Everyone buy Driveclub please. I'm having more fun with it than GT6 and maybe even GT5. Sure the multiplayer is still getting patched up, but you still have a chance to grab all that free apology DLC before its at 100%
 

geordiemp

Member
I think saying that UK is a country with quite close-minded tastes compared to the rest of other major countries isn't unfair, sincerly. It's not just because Nintendo games and consoles suffer (or, in Wii U's case, suffer even more), but also considering how more Japanese titles tend to sell. I still remember when Ninokuni debuted at first and I considered that a miracle, honestly :lol

WiiU + Mario Kart + Smash at GAME = £ 300. Three Hundred Pounds.

Many Old WiiU games are £ 40 FORTY POUNDS.

Even as a potential second console it has no chance - you can get a 360 for £ 100, and old games for a tenner.

Nintendo charge ridiculous prices in UK, and they have killed the market for themselves.
 

Steroyd

Member
And why is it not a 55 pound game? There is no inherent reason why a platform should not be full-price.

The ceiling on production value has been raised extremely high since the PSBoxCube days, so much so that you're either AAA or indie, I think platformers and games of it's ilk can fit in that chasm between the 2 extremes and do well, but they need to be priced accordingly, outside of Nintendo's quality seal of approval there aren't going to be many people who will pick a Crash Bandicoot or Jak and Daxter over Far Cry or Assassin's Creed if they're all priced at £50.
 
Look at the EU charts (Over time, not just the last few weeks), then the UK. The diversity in taste is huge. Hell, I once saw Sly Cooper 4 at number one for weeks in one European country. That would never happen in the UK these days. Almost impossible now.

Anyway. My comment appears to have ruffled feathers. So i'm out.

SuaveExit.gif

lol.....surely you should recognise, since you spent years in these PAL threads, that getting number 1 in a smaller European country is not equivalent to getting number 1 in the Uk market since its much bigger.

FWIW I think everything you said is spot on. I just think the UK even more than other Western countries has been summarily disinterested in the Wii U. (Not that that's their fault, necessarily.)

Thats not true. WiiU is doing poorly in all European countries, just a little less poorly in France.
 

Yoshi

Headmaster of Console Warrior Jugendstrafanstalt
Platformers are 'simpler' games, they should budget and cost less than what we consider AAA games.

Puzzle, platformer and such simpler games are 2 a penny on Tablet and phone, so there is your answer.

Platformers are simple? They have simple mechanics (as do most big AAA games), but that does not mean it's simple to make a good platformer. Of course you can get super-cheap platformers on tablets and phones, you can also get super-cheap shooters on tablets and phones, but you can't compare NSMBU, DKCTF or Rayman Legends (the three most recent great 2D platformers) to those, wrt 3D platformers, I'd even say: There are few, if any, genres, where it is so difficult to design compelling levels. In fact, outside of Nintendo, Rare and Sega, there have only been a handful 3D platformers worth a damn. Platformers require a lot of thought and fine tuning, it's outrageous that you claim they are unworthy of full-price. Some people may not like platformers and thus don't buy them, but to devalue them like that is unfair.
 

Staf

Member
Not usually into driving games, although haven't played one in years, i'm thinking of picking up Driveclub and see what the deal is. Those clips i've seen of the rain effect sure is purdy. Also, isn't it weird that Dragon age isn't even in the top 40 anymore? You would think some of the GOTY awards it has received would have some kind of effect.
 
If most of the sales the sales are from bundles it's natural it would fall after the holidays as hardware sales slow down.

Everything fell. What's there to be surprised about about post Christmas?

Well, the price of the game dropped to £23 last week, thought that would at least stimulate non bundled demand, but it seems, as originally thought, overwhelming demand was primarily bundle driven.

Probably a lot of people received an Xbone for Xmas.

Fair point. I just noticed that Sunset is also back in the charts. Let's hope it's the start of it climbing back into the top ten.
 

ColdRose

Member
Not usually into driving games, although haven't played one in years, i'm thinking of picking up Driveclub and see what the deal is. Those clips i've seen of the rain effect sure is purdy. Also, isn't it weird that Dragon age isn't even in the top 40 anymore? You would think some of the GOTY awards it has received would have some kind of effect.

According to the Chart Track website, DAI is holding at no 21 (same as last week) on the all-format, all-price chart, so ... I don't know, this isn't exactly an area I know anything about. Does that mean it isn't doing too badly, at least in the UK?

http://www.chart-track.co.uk/index.jsp?c=p/software/uk/latest/index_test.jsp&ct=110015
 

Dash Kappei

Not actually that important
Yes, I played a demo of it in Game a couple of weeks ago, and while I was playing two or three people stood behind me watching. It's a really striking and smooth game so like you say, it demos really well and first impressions tend to be made in awe.

Are we ever gonna get the PS+ demo?
 
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