Not only did Resident Evil 5 top UK game sales charts this weekend, it also outsold singles, albums, and films. Does this signal that games are the most popular entertainment medium in the UK?
https://kotaku.com/british-sales-charts-res-5-breaks-records-5172871
Capcom’s UK public relations company Monument PR seems to think so, issuing a press release titled “Game Dramatically Outsells Singles, Albums, Films – Games Now Most Popular Entertainment Medium in UK”. They serve up several facts to back up their claim.
– Resident Evil 5 outsold EVERY ITEM in the UK Singles Chart (Based on physical and digital sales of UK Top 200)
– Resident Evil 5 outsold U2’s chart-topping new album’s total sales since release in ONE WEEKEND (in the UK)
– Resident Evil 5 grossed more than the top 5 movies in the UK this weekend – COMBINED (Source: IMDB.com)
Certainly some impressive statistics, especially when you consider what the game was up against in UK theaters. Watchmen, sure…I could see Resident Evil beating that one, but Marley & Me?
Still, calling games the most popular entertainment medium in the UK might be jumping the gun a bit. How many people stayed home and watched quality BBC programming that weekend? How many spent a portion of the weekend illegally downloading music from the UK Top 200? It’s nice to see a game like Resident Evil 5 outselling the hell out of everything, but we can’t call it a victory just yet. Not until we make U2’s Bono cry. We might have to team up with Marley & Me.
