This week brings little of interest to the top 10 of ELSPA/ChartTrack's All Formats charts. The top seven positions remain unchanged from last week's chart, with the top four titles unmoved for the fourth consecutive week. Sony's Formula 1 04 bucks this trend - a new entry at number eight - making it the first top 10 new entry since Activision's Spider-man 2 swung in and claimed the top spot.
Overall, the sales are up just slightly in terms of units, but the lack of new titles means the chart remains placid - with just a few exceptions.
It's said that there's no such thing as bad PR, but last week it was difficult to see how Rockstar would be benefiting. The media reaction to the murderous teenager "obsessed" with Manhunt, a game which can only be described as a murder sim, was vocal if not unexpected. However, the tabloid fools would have done well to keep their mouth's shut and keyboards untouched. Thanks to the front-page headlines, Manhunt re-enters at 23.
Amazing progress is seen from the Sonic and friends. Sonic Heroes rockets from last week's 23 to number 10 this week. Perhaps this is the flip-side of the "games are evil" fallout, with parents playing things safe with the cuddly blue hedgepig.
Another cute hero can be seen making a comeback as Ubisoft's Rayman 3 returns at 29 thanks to promotion of the title's GBA incarnation. The last of the re-entries, fuelled by England's performance in the second test against the West Indies, is EA's Cricket 2004 landing at number 34.
Free falling on its way out of the top 40 is EA's UEFA Euro 2004 - last week number 10, 25 this.
MIA this week is Zoo Digital's PC version of Midway's The Suffering, a title also tarred with the "evil" brush, which manages only 28th place in the full price PC chart.
Next week, Catwoman lands on almost every format, Play It's paranoia-fuelled America's 10 Most Wanted comes to PS2 and Chaos League hits the PC.
Overall, the sales are up just slightly in terms of units, but the lack of new titles means the chart remains placid - with just a few exceptions.
It's said that there's no such thing as bad PR, but last week it was difficult to see how Rockstar would be benefiting. The media reaction to the murderous teenager "obsessed" with Manhunt, a game which can only be described as a murder sim, was vocal if not unexpected. However, the tabloid fools would have done well to keep their mouth's shut and keyboards untouched. Thanks to the front-page headlines, Manhunt re-enters at 23.
Amazing progress is seen from the Sonic and friends. Sonic Heroes rockets from last week's 23 to number 10 this week. Perhaps this is the flip-side of the "games are evil" fallout, with parents playing things safe with the cuddly blue hedgepig.
Another cute hero can be seen making a comeback as Ubisoft's Rayman 3 returns at 29 thanks to promotion of the title's GBA incarnation. The last of the re-entries, fuelled by England's performance in the second test against the West Indies, is EA's Cricket 2004 landing at number 34.
Free falling on its way out of the top 40 is EA's UEFA Euro 2004 - last week number 10, 25 this.
MIA this week is Zoo Digital's PC version of Midway's The Suffering, a title also tarred with the "evil" brush, which manages only 28th place in the full price PC chart.
Next week, Catwoman lands on almost every format, Play It's paranoia-fuelled America's 10 Most Wanted comes to PS2 and Chaos League hits the PC.
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Comments
claudioalex 3 Aug 2004 05:19
1/5
VERY SAD, I IMAGINE HOW MANY KIDS WITHOUT GOOD PARENTS HAVE NOW THIS GAME JUST FOR CURIOSITY.
IF I WERE ROCKSTAR OWNERS , I COULDNT LIVE WITH THE IDEA THAT ONE OF MY GAMES WAS THE INSPIRATION OF THIS 17 YEAR OLD MURDER TO COMMIT HIS CRIME. IT IS A PRINCIPLES - VALUES ISSUE . I THINK THIS COMPANY SEND THEYR PUBLICITY TOWARD THE YOUNGER PLAYERS, IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE!!!!
IF I WERE ROCKSTAR OWNERS , I COULDNT LIVE WITH THE IDEA THAT ONE OF MY GAMES WAS THE INSPIRATION OF THIS 17 YEAR OLD MURDER TO COMMIT HIS CRIME. IT IS A PRINCIPLES - VALUES ISSUE . I THINK THIS COMPANY SEND THEYR PUBLICITY TOWARD THE YOUNGER PLAYERS, IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE!!!!
kriv 3 Aug 2004 10:04
2/5
What a load of rubbish.
It's the parents fault for not educating their kids. What are we gonna blame next? Kids being beaten up bith a hammer after watching a Tom & Jerry - a - thon? Teenage pregnancies on porn?
I watched the Running man at the age of 7. I never picked up my dad's chainsaw and cut someone in half as I knew it was wrong to do so.
People who can't distance themselves between fantasy and reality need to be locked up!
It's the parents fault for not educating their kids. What are we gonna blame next? Kids being beaten up bith a hammer after watching a Tom & Jerry - a - thon? Teenage pregnancies on porn?
I watched the Running man at the age of 7. I never picked up my dad's chainsaw and cut someone in half as I knew it was wrong to do so.
People who can't distance themselves between fantasy and reality need to be locked up!
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DoctorDee 3 Aug 2004 11:06
3/5
kriv wrote:
>People who can't distance themselves between
>fantasy and reality need to be locked up!
I agree. How greast it would be tearing up the M1 in my new Cobra at 170mph, with no other cars on the road, and no police to enforce the speed limits.
Jails would be a bit crowded though! So time to implement my Greenland Hyper-jail idea. Just don't put Christophe Lambert in there!
>People who can't distance themselves between
>fantasy and reality need to be locked up!
I agree. How greast it would be tearing up the M1 in my new Cobra at 170mph, with no other cars on the road, and no police to enforce the speed limits.
Jails would be a bit crowded though! So time to implement my Greenland Hyper-jail idea. Just don't put Christophe Lambert in there!
Joji 3 Aug 2004 11:21
4/5
I think that's an unfair argument. It also a very similar sort of view that comes from america when they have shootings out there. People die from gun crime everyday but I don't see them blaming all those deaths on games. Why is that? Because games are a new medium and open to critisism and allegations that can't be proved, beyond a reasonable doubt.
In America they know that if they go after the gun makers they'd lose, because of their 'right to bare arms', and the power the NRA have in the courts and government. Videogames are an easy target because they take more money now than the movie biz etc, and usually may have to pay out if sued. In a culture of consumerism, this would be meal ticket to money.
I thought the press would have learned from years of journalism that when you shout 'this is wrong ban it', everyone will then think "It's gonna become rare so I best get a copy". People panic and sales go up. As usual it's the press that started this fire and now it's burning the house down, as a result Rockstar a getting money again. Had they just kept their mouths shut, or gone after the knife makers instead, they know not much would happen in court, if they had chased the knife makers however they might actually get a clampdown on knives as a result, which is better than anythng compensation might do. Whole thing now stinks of lawyers looking for a good payday.
Yes the game is poor, and in poor taste. But so is Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, and they ofcourse are forever celebrated dispite their disturbing nature, even in a world where you can purchase any dvd online with no proof of age. The sorry thing is people believe this stuff because not everyone plays games, and many let the press shape their view of the world, instead of finding things out for themselves.
In America they know that if they go after the gun makers they'd lose, because of their 'right to bare arms', and the power the NRA have in the courts and government. Videogames are an easy target because they take more money now than the movie biz etc, and usually may have to pay out if sued. In a culture of consumerism, this would be meal ticket to money.
I thought the press would have learned from years of journalism that when you shout 'this is wrong ban it', everyone will then think "It's gonna become rare so I best get a copy". People panic and sales go up. As usual it's the press that started this fire and now it's burning the house down, as a result Rockstar a getting money again. Had they just kept their mouths shut, or gone after the knife makers instead, they know not much would happen in court, if they had chased the knife makers however they might actually get a clampdown on knives as a result, which is better than anythng compensation might do. Whole thing now stinks of lawyers looking for a good payday.
Yes the game is poor, and in poor taste. But so is Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal, and they ofcourse are forever celebrated dispite their disturbing nature, even in a world where you can purchase any dvd online with no proof of age. The sorry thing is people believe this stuff because not everyone plays games, and many let the press shape their view of the world, instead of finding things out for themselves.
config 3 Aug 2004 11:59
5/5
Joji wrote:
>Videogames are an easy
>target because they take more money now than the
>movie biz etc,
That isn't actually true. Games may generate more revenue than box office sales, but once you factor in video/dvd rental and sell-through and merchandise sales, those games figures are left looking a bit pathetic.
>Videogames are an easy
>target because they take more money now than the
>movie biz etc,
That isn't actually true. Games may generate more revenue than box office sales, but once you factor in video/dvd rental and sell-through and merchandise sales, those games figures are left looking a bit pathetic.