CoD: Black Ops Sales Fall 85% in UK, Still Overwhelming

[John Funk]

CoD: Black Ops Sales Fall 85% in UK, Still Overwhelming

You know your game is ridiculously popular when you can sell 85% fewer copies than you did a week ago and still be the biggest game in town.

By now, we all know that Call of Duty: Black Ops very big launch [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105292-Black-Ops-Blows-Up-UK-Launch-Records]. It's hard to put the overwhelming dominance of Black Ops in perspective, though - with such a huge launch, what can you really compare it to except other blockbuster releases?

So, here's some perspective: According to the UK All Formats chart, Black Ops suffered a staggering 85% week-on-week drop-off in sales from its week on launch to its second week on sales. For every ten copies it sold launch week in the UK, it sold a measly one-and-a-half copies last week.

It was still the top-selling game on the market, beating #2 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood by an estimated 63,000 units. This was, by the way, reportedly the strongest launch ever for a title in the reasonably popular Assassin's Creed series. To paraphrase Ms. Gwen Stefani, this crap is bananas. Absolutely bananas.

The Xbox 360 version accounted for 54% of all copies of Black Ops sold, with 40% of copies shipping on the PS3. Either that means that PC versions only made up a meager 6% of retail copies sold, or someone at the All Formats chart needs to read up on their mathematics.

Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, FIFA 11 and Just Dance 2 rounded out the top five.

(via CVG [http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=277078])

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[Canid117]

The double rainbow... it's... beautiful...

What? Blacks Ops made money? Well I'm not really surprised.

 

[Prometherion]

That seems logical. A heavily pre ordered game is bound to drop sales pretty quickly. The sales will stay steady for a while yet.

 

[TimeLord]

85% drop in sales?

That's because everyone bought it in the first week and everyone owns it now!
Like me!

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in an English accent.

 

[The Hive Mind]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in a English accent.

I concur, the SAS were easily the coolest thing about CoD4 and one of the best bits about MW2 (even though they technically they were transferred from the SAS at that point.)

 

[wooty]

Sales are down 85% and theres already near a full row of pre-owned copies in my local Game and Gamestation. Not sure what to think of this, but it seems to point to the game is either being bad or just very short.

I'm seriously asking here, was it just the first week hype hype hype or did it just not meet expectations?

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in a English accent.

I concur, the SAS were easily the coolest thing about CoD4 and one of the best bits about MW2 (even though they technically they were transferred from the SAS at that point.)

I thought it was refreshing to be playing a military shooter as someone from my country and not be the guys that die at the end, with the Americans being ultimately triumphant.

 

[Mcface]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in an English accent.

Hearing "Tango Down!" in Reznovs voice far surpasses it.
but i do like the mix of nationalities MW2 had with the task force.

 

[Distorted Stu]

Blops and Ass Creed are the only games worth buying in the UK at this time (in my opinion)

 

[Mcface]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in a English accent.

I concur, the SAS were easily the coolest thing about CoD4 and one of the best bits about MW2 (even though they technically they were transferred from the SAS at that point.)

I thought it was refreshing to be playing a military shooter as someone from my country and not be the guys that die at the end, with the Americans being ultimately triumphant.

In what games does that happen, exactly?

 

[Woodsey]

AssCreed is on it's way to being the next really massive thing, me thinks.

Brotherhood is brilliant.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in a English accent.

I concur, the SAS were easily the coolest thing about CoD4 and one of the best bits about MW2 (even though they technically they were transferred from the SAS at that point.)

I thought it was refreshing to be playing a military shooter as someone from my country and not be the guys that die at the end, with the Americans being ultimately triumphant.

In what games does that happen, exactly?

CoD 4. The American character was killed off halfway through the game with the SAS being left to save the day.

 

[Swaki]

does those charts include online sales, if not then i can easily believe that only 6% of the pc gamers where stooped enough to buy it in stores.

 

[Christemo]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in an English accent.

well, you get the Cee. Eye. Aye. and the NVA yelling "yada abi ha" when they kill people.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Sales are down 85% and theres already near a full row of pre-owned copies in my local Game and Gamestation. Not sure what to think of this, but it seems to point to the game is either being bad or just very short.

I'm seriously asking here, was it just the first week hype hype hype or did it just not meet expectations?

generally estimating anyone who wanted it, got it right away, there were some meager maybe's inbetween, and thats what you see on your wall.

i plan to get the game for christmas most likely so im sure game sales will pick up again for black friday and around christmas for it.

 

[V8 Ninja]

Awesome! Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is at #3! [/CriterionFanboy]

...That's what this article is about, right?

 

[Exort]

Sales are down 85% and theres already near a full row of pre-owned copies in my local Game and Gamestation. Not sure what to think of this, but it seems to point to the game is either being bad or just very short.

I'm seriously asking here, was it just the first week hype hype hype or did it just not meet expectations?

which recent COD is not short...

 

[clarissa]

I guess that the Alliance for Global Justice will be happy to hear that.
only if they knew it is actually a fake happiness...

 

[freakonaleash]

I was diappointed by the lack of the S.A.S in Black Ops. Nothing beats hearing "Tango down!" in a English accent.

I concur, the SAS were easily the coolest thing about CoD4 and one of the best bits about MW2 (even though they technically they were transferred from the SAS at that point.)

I thought it was refreshing to be playing a military shooter as someone from my country and not be the guys that die at the end, with the Americans being ultimately triumphant.

You know what I liked about black ops? You got to actually kill SAS guys for the first time in CoD history.