UK Charts: FIFA Dies in Modern Warfare

Week two of 2008 rolls around dragging with it games in the Chart-Track All Formats chart. Now, in our opinion, people who have been gifted their shiny new kit over the Xmas period should really have played the Wii Sports that came free with the Wii; the Assassin's Creed that they were given with Xbox 360, and the FIFA 08 they've found bundled up with their PS3. The luckier should also have polished off The Golden Compass given to them by Auntie Clarisse and her partner, Jane.

This means that a whole new bunch of games should have entered the charts. If not then the following must be true:

1) New gamers are a bit rubbish and need ages to wear out games for they are 'no0bs' and 'lamerz'.

2) Everybody is downloading games from Xbox Live or Virtual Console or PlayStation Store (or the Interweb or Steam for their PCs... and Macs).

3) Everybody is buying pre-owned games having sold/swapped theirs.

4) There haven't been any new games.

Well, a whole bunch of new games haven't entered the chart. In fact, in terms of change to the Top 10, WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2008 (this week's 13) swaps with Dr Kawashima's Brain Training (this week's 8).

Everything else in the Top 10 does a merry dance around each other. Activision's Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare returns to the Number 1 spot (since we last saw it there in November).

In some kind of sick tug of war for the top spot it kicks EA's FIFA 08 down a place, where the footy franchise sees itself sandwiched with the resurgent Assassin's Creed, which steps up a place to Number 3.

Even more resurging is Activision's Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock, which slams up four places to Number 5.

All this movement, however, is based on falling sales figures according to Chart-Track, which states the following:

Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare = -21%
FIFA 08 = -50%
Assassin's Creed = -43%
Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock = -30%
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 = -42%
Need For Speed: ProStreet = -46%

We won't go on, it's a little too depressing what with the rain and the grey skies. It does indicate once again, however, that those gosh-darned Xmas sales really do steam the industry along. It also indicates that you cheeky beggars have indeed been out getting into the pre-owned stock: a situation causing some distress on an industry still somewhat behoven to High Street retailers.

Depression and suicidal thoughts aside for one moment before we show you the Top 10, what is there to look forward to in the next week? Over to Andy SPOnG, our "Next Week" correspondent. What gives Andy?

"Well, news-desk, here are some of the high spots to look forward to. Remember, slippage may - and probably will - occur, especially in this wet weather:"

Advance Wars: Dark Conflict DS
Burnout Paradise Xbox 360/PS3
Donkey Jet Wii
Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli Wii/PS3
PDC World Championship Darts 2008 Wii/PC/PS2
[i]Phantasy Star Universe: Ambition Of... PS2
Pro Evolution Soccer 2008[/i] DS
Universe at War: Earth Assault PC

"Back to you, news-desk".

Thanks Andy. Okay, below is the Top 10 for Week 2 of 2008. Don't forget, you can see the ENTIRE TOP 40 by going to our Charts Page right here.

2008 - Week 2 - Top 10 - All Formats
(2) 1 Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Activision
(1) 2 FIFA 08 EA Sports
(4) 3 Assassin's Creed Ubisoft
(3) 4 The Simpsons Game EA Games
(9) 5 Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock Activision
(6) 6 Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 Konami
(5) 7 Need For Speed: ProStreet EA Games
(13) 8 Dr Kawashima's Brain Training Nintendo
(8) 9 More Brain Training From Dr Kawashima Nintendo
(7) 10 The Golden Compass SEGA