Weekly PC Sales: Empire Total War Dominates, Warhammer Online Resurfaces

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Marketing research firm NPD has issued its weekly list of the ten best-selling PC games at United States retailers, this one covering the first week of March.

That week saw the debut of The Creative Assembly's historical strategy game Empire: Total War, which also topped the chart for digital distribution site Direct2Drive. Mythic's Warhammer Online also reappeared, probably due to a lowered average price.

As NPD's figures do not include digital distribution, you'll find Direct2Drive's corresponding list of PC best-sellers below. However, please note that this only covers one of many online outlets, while NPD covers a variety of brick and mortar stores.

NPD's Top Ten (3/1 - 3/7)

  1. Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly / $48
  2. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $39
  3. Warhammer Online: Age Of Reckoning / EA Mythic / $16
  4. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
  5. Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II / Relic / $48
  6. The Sims Carnival: Bumper Blast / Electronic Arts / $2
  7. Empire: Total War - Special Forces Edition / Creative Assembly / $69
  8. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 Premier Edition / EA LA / $14
  9. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $38
  10. World Of Warcraft / Blizzard / $18

Direct2Drive's Top Ten (3/2 - 3/10)

  1. Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly
  2. Empire: Total War - Special Forces Edition / Creative Assembly
  3. Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II / Relic
  4. Empire: Total War (Pre-Order with Free Game) / Creative Assembly
  5. Drakensang: The Dark Eye / Radon Labs
  6. MLB 2K9 / Visual Concepts
  7. Rome: Total War Gold Edition / Creative Assembly
  8. Final Fantasy XI Vana'diel Collection 2008 / Square Enix
  9. Defense Grid: The Awakening / Hidden Path
  10. Grand Theft Auto IV / Rockstar North

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

From The Chatty
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    March 17, 2009 10:07 AM

    Warhammer for 16$? damn

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      March 17, 2009 10:26 AM

      What I'd like to know is how Warhammer Online can be in the top 5 or 10 every month since it launched, and they're still merging servers at an alarming rate.

      I guess it could be because, like me, they bought the game, played a month and cancelled. How many shackers have subscribed past the initial month?

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        March 17, 2009 10:30 AM

        I played the 10 day trial then quit, but I actually REALLY enjoy the game but I got to level ten (the cap fpr the trial) and assumed the content was going to die off since it started to seem like it. If there are some patches i'll go back (and if i get alot of time is also the other concern)

      • reply
        March 17, 2009 10:30 AM

        I thought it hadn't been in the top 5 or 10 in a while now.

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          March 17, 2009 10:37 AM

          This is correct. It dropped off a while back.

          • reply
            March 17, 2009 2:23 PM

            I stand corrected, maybe it was Dawn of War II I was seeing, now that I think about it...

      • reply
        March 17, 2009 10:36 AM

        It hasn't been. Last time it was in the top 10 for a week before now was October 19 - 25.

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        March 17, 2009 10:50 AM

        Yup. I was really excited about the release. Bought it on release day, ended up quitting about a week after I bought my first month, DOH! Game just didnt stick with me, didnt click at all.

    • reply
      March 18, 2009 4:41 AM

      I'm wondering if Warhammer gets new love because people are getting bored with WoW again. I just quit WoW myself and was actually thinking of resubbing to Warhammer to try out the new classes.

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