Duke Nukem sales: 56% Xbox, 30% PS3

By Robert Purchese Published 13 June, 2011

Red Faction sales: 70% Xbox, 26% PS3.

Duke Nukem Forever has topped the UK all-formats chart and sold a meaty majority on Xbox 360.

Xbox 360 dominated a fat 56 per cent of the sales pie; PS3 claimed only 30 per cent.

PC took 14 per cent, but remember that digitally distributed copies (i.e. those bought on Steam, Get Games and elsewhere), aren't counted.

Duke Nukem Forever has been in development turmoil for over decade. It took Borderlands maker Gearbox Software to buy the IP to finish the fight.

Unfortunately, Duke Nukem Forever is rubbish - Eurogamer awarded it 3/10. " Nostalgia only gets you so far," wrote Eurogamer reviewer Dan Whitehead, "and in Duke's case, it's not far enough."

A much better new game released on Friday was Red Faction: Armageddon, which scored 7/10 on Eurogamer.

Armageddon sales were heavily skewed towards Xbox 360, which gobbled a gutsy 70 per cent of the pie. PS3 was left with 26 per cent and PC with just 4 per cent.

Duke Nukem Forever: PS3 vs Xbox 360.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (63) Latest comment 11 months ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • onezeonx #1 12 months ago

    PS3 owners in shock "i won't buy crap games" headline.....nice!

    Of either game was actually any good then I'm sure the % would be higher

  • prudislav #2 12 months ago

    both Italian and Czech Eurogamer gave 7/10 to PC version of DNF

  • woodnotes #3 12 months ago

    "Unfortunately, Duke Nukem Forever is rubbish"

    Or, more accurately, "Unfortunately, Eurogamer reviewer Dan Whitehead thinks Duke Nukem Forever is rubbish".

    Although, perhaps it isn't all that subjective, I haven't played it yet.
    Edited by woodnotes at 13/06/11 @ 09:37

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #4 12 months ago

    I guess that justifies Xbox as Eurogamer's lead review platform a bit.

  • darkmorgado #5 12 months ago

    Erm, your review says it was written by Dan Whitehead, not Oli Welsh. Which is it?

  • Snake_2011 #6 12 months ago

    might have something to do with a certain exclusive lol.

  • MrFlump #7 12 months ago

    Where's the other 6% gone then? 57+27+10 = 94%...

  • LazyNinjaUk #8 12 months ago

    "Unfortunately, Duke Nukem Forever is rubbish - Eurogamer awarded it 3/10."

    Still better than Sniper Ghost Warrior.

  • Diomedes117 #9 12 months ago

    Unfortunately, Duke Nukem Forever is rubbish - Eurogamer awarded it 3/10.
    Right... And it awards COD 8- 9/10...

  • cowell #10 12 months ago

    The split is actually 56/30/14

  • Eraysor #11 12 months ago

    I've heard inFamous 2's ratio was 0% 360, 100% PS3

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #12 12 months ago

    Sorry, it was of course Dan Whitehead. My silly mistake.

  • mashk #13 12 months ago

    I'm really enjoying the PC version of DNF. It may be linear, and derivative BUT it's fun. The gaming equivalent of an 80s action film, something to disengage your brain with and just wallow in.

  • Raniz #14 12 months ago

    @MrFlump
    I was wondering the same thing.

    * The article says 57% to Xbox, the headline says 56%
    * 57(56)% + 27% + 10% = 94(93)%, where's the missing 6(7) percent?
    * The reference review was written by Dan Whitehead and not by Oli Welsh

    Edit: Article's been fixed and the discrepancy in the numbers has been attributed to the source, imagine the above list written inside strike-tags.
    Edited by Raniz at 13/06/11 @ 09:48

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #15 12 months ago

    The document from GfK Chart-Track doesn't account for the remaining 6%.

    The split is actually 56/30/14

    Thanks for the info - where's it from?



  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #16 12 months ago

    Thankfully PS3 owners Had Infamous2 to buy this Friday, so didnt have to settle for a sub par shooter as there only purchasing choice.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #17 12 months ago

    The article says 57% to Xbox, the headline says 56%

    Sorry, that was a typo. It's 56%.

    Doc doesn't account for 7% of sales.

  • brod #18 12 months ago

    More use of Eurogamer review scores as gospel. Barf.

  • Darren #19 12 months ago

    I got both Red Faction Armageddon and Duke Nukem Forever last week for the PC but of the two games I'm by far enjoying the latter's campaign more even though its definitely flawed and very dated. Red Faction has some impressive destruction physics and some nifty weapons but is otherwise an over-serious, lifeless and plodding game that I'm finding hard to enjoy. Funny that. I don't remember Guerrilla being that dull and uninspired.

  • cowell #20 12 months ago

    @Bertie

    From the Chart Track document. Looks fine to me

  • ZeroAX #21 12 months ago

    56 + 27 + 10 = 93..... Good job Eurogamer. Your writers failed basic math.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #22 12 months ago

    From the Chart Track document. Looks fine to me...

    I'm looking at the all-formats list split. But the full split is in the accompanying .doc blurb!

    Thanks cowell.

  • Bertie Verified Senior Staff Writer, Eurogamer.net #23 12 months ago

    Right, cor, that should be that.

    Thanks to everybody that helped steer this back on track. Sorry for being rubbish!

  • customfirmware #24 12 months ago

    ^^^ and a troll.

  • jonsaan #25 12 months ago

    Is this the new face of the face off?

  • kinky_mong #26 12 months ago

    56 + 27 + 10 = 93..... Good job Eurogamer. Your writers failed basic math.

    And you failed basic English. It's maths.

  • kinky_mong #27 12 months ago

    As I've said in the past and I still to this day stand by it. We PS3 owners in general, just simply have better/more refined tastes. When it comes to choosing/buying our games. We won't settle for any old crap, we have higher standards than our 360 counter-parts.

    If that's the case how comes Killzone and Resistance have sold enough to warrant two sequels?
    Edited by kinky_mong at 13/06/11 @ 10:04

  • pappakenoo #28 12 months ago

    No, it doesn't have anything to do with taste. The 360 installbase is simply WAY higher in the UK. It's impotant to mention however that UK is pretty much the only region in Europe where the 360 version sells more than the PS3 version. In Europe as a whole the 360 versions of pretty much every multiplatform game is WAY behind the PS3 versions.

    I say it's important because Eurogamer always makes it sound like this is the case in Europe as a whole which is certainly not the case.

  • AOFanboi #29 12 months ago

    Metacritic is supposed to be the "Gospel", apparently, but I wonder what value these numeric scores have anyway, when a 81% review includes "It's a great shooter for fans but of course suffers from the bad graphics and some boring levels."

    Removing rose-tinted nostalgia, Eurogamer's 3/10 is just as "valid" as any other score.

  • Widge #30 12 months ago

    Nothing to do with taste as PS3 owners were spending their money on Infamous.

  • M4RV #31 12 months ago

    Just out of curiosity, are people on crack while playing DNF...?! No offense, but the demo was simply atrocious. A total waste of time so to speak.

  • KevvyMetal79 #32 12 months ago

    Duke Nukem' Forever isn't rubbish.

  • BBIAJ #33 12 months ago

    @ZeroAX:

    I think you'll find it's "maths" actually, with an "S", we're not American in Europe you know.

  • ElStevo #34 12 months ago

    Duke Nukem Forever is definitely not rubbish.

  • schnide #35 12 months ago

    @BBIAJ

    If he's American are you expecting him to start talking like you for posting on a European-based site? The latter being the case, if he was talking in French would you stop complaining or do you think you could take off the pedants hat and admit you fully understood what he said anyway?

    You know, since you mentioned it!

  • Nobunaga #36 12 months ago

    Except it's NOT rubbish. Esp. not on the PC.

  • iCubPro #37 12 months ago

    Let's not forget that us PS3-ers had inFamous 2 come out on the same day, it's my GotY so far this year, I've barely been able to stop playing!

  • GamesConnoisseur #38 12 months ago

    I have a very high standard for gaming, multi platform games are always X360 except where PS3 are better!

    'course PC beats all to death, that's a given but what up with Red Faction? Would have thought PS owners more taken with the franchise? Going back to the first two games on PS2 being quite popular?

  • Monkeyspoon #39 12 months ago

    Not surprised that the PS3 proportion is lower. They get lots of lovely exclusives to play and don't need the other crap that gets released.

  • Spekingur #40 12 months ago

    Funny how many commenters seem to forget the Digital Distribution platforms. Pretty sure that if those were included you would see the PC percentage of Duke Nukem sales pie be a lot higher and above the consoles.

    DNF should be played on the PC, simple as that.

  • wiggy1 #41 12 months ago

    Who gives a shit about this really? they're both rubbish

  • MiniAmin #42 12 months ago

    This is actually good news. It might've been a mediocre game, but I hope it generates enough sales to warrant a modern sequel. Gearbox could do great things with the franchise.

  • DrStrangelove #43 12 months ago

    So many people saying DNF isn't rubbish. Ok, I shall give it another try right now. See you later, but chances are 56% I'll be pissed.

  • StooMonster #44 12 months ago

    "PC with just 4 per cent"

    That's just retail though, right? Ignores downloads?

  • cowell #45 12 months ago

    @Stoomonster

    That's exactly what the article says

  • Geordiemp #46 12 months ago

    Did not buy either for 360 or ps3, poor ratings (thats what reviews are for), IGN and Joystik agreed with EG, these games will be bargain bin in a few weeks...

    To be fair to PS3, infamous 2 came out same time, not much of a decision about what to buy if you a PS3 only owner.

    If Gears 3 had come out same time, sales of both DNF and Armageddon would be much lower on 360 as well.

    To be fair, this highlights why its great to have 360 and PS3, can get new stuff and stick to quality and wait for bargain bin for the below par stuff.

    So many games have not bought or even played yet.

  • RawNinjaKid #47 12 months ago

    I am quite embarrassed as a PS3 owner that Duke Nukem split sales are actually that high!!

  • Zozzilla #48 12 months ago

    I got DNF on the PS3. I didn't bother with InFamous 2, but that's only because I've not finished the first game yet - got it from the Welcome Back thingy, it's fun. :D

    And um...so is DNF. It's not supposed to be groundbreaking, after all. Like someone else said, it's like an 80's movie, plus I was like 14 when DN3D was out and played that to death. I can't NOT have more Duke in my life.

  • vodny_cz Verified Redaktor, Eurogamer Czech Republic #49 12 months ago

    The best version is on PC (what a surprise, ironic), but still people buy it more on consoles? Why? Everyone has PC at home and even rubbish old one can handle Duke pretty well. Buy DNF on PC, it's cheaper and you will love it.

  • Bravestinsane #50 12 months ago

    @General_Ironfist

    I think he was talking about the original, Resistance and the original Killzone,

    If i recall Killzone was shouted as being a Halo beater and was shit, and it still sold well... his point was how did the ORIGINAL's sell well to warrant a squeal if you PS3 guys are so intelligent.

    Also Haze sold really well, which was a shit game so much for PS3 users being smarter eh?

    The point is there are retards on the Xbox and retards on the PS3, and your arrogance is what you fit nicely into that category.

  • kinky_mong #51 12 months ago

    And IMO KZ2 is the best FPS of this generation.

    PAAAHAHAHAHA! Best joke I've heard all day!

  • Trent_Steel #52 12 months ago

    There's a lot of talk on here about how there's "far more" 360s in the UK than PS3s, which is bollocks. There is more, but not enough to make these huge gaps in sales figures make like-for-like sense.

    Due to it's cheaper price and the different way it is marketed, the 360 appeals to a younger crowd, as well as a hardcore of old-skool MSphile PC gamers, while the PS3 tends to appeal to those well into their 20s and (from my experience) Japophiles and those who have abandoned the "New" Nintendo.

    As such, stuff like Duke Nukem (juvenile, shooting orientated) tends to sell better on 360, as younger, less clued-up gamers are more prevalent on the 360. The PS3 doesn't seem to appeal to kids, therefore the crap games sell less.

    Anything Japanese however, sells more on PS3, even Pro Evolution Soccer games, so I'd say that differing tastes in console userbases are just as important as the install base when these figures come out.

  • TechnicPuppet #53 12 months ago

    @Trent_Steel

    Really great analysis, apart from the fact that just about every game sells more on the 360 rendering it useless.

  • eltonpr0n #54 12 months ago

    Does anything really sell on the ps3 these days? With the exception of exclusive naturally.

  • Trent_Steel #55 12 months ago

    @TechnicPuppet

    You pretty much sum up my point with your juvenile response, but as I'd like to reiterate, Western games sell more on 360, Japanese games sell more on PS3.

    If you'd bothered to read my post rather than just act like a smartarse, you'd notice that I also acknowledged that there are more 360 users than PS3 users, so a 55-45 gap in sales would be about right in most cases. It is far more than this however, for games such as Duke Nukem, which appeal to your average 12 year old, council estate dwelling 360 user.

    Sorry for last sentence, but you drove me to it, and it's true.

  • cowell #56 12 months ago

    "As such, stuff like Duke Nukem (juvenile, shooting orientated) tends to sell better on 360, as younger, less clued-up gamers are more prevalent on the 360. The PS3 doesn't seem to appeal to kids, therefore the crap games sell less."

    "It is far more than this however, for games such as Duke Nukem, which appeal to your average 12 year old, council estate dwelling 360 user."

    @Trent_Steel

    Your opinion is based upon no solid evidence whatsoever. Both consoles have a range of age groups and player types but I think you're fantasising about the importance of PS3 owners with no evidence to back it up. There's plenty of jap-centric content on 360 for gamers to feel smug and knowing about. In fact Deadly Premonition 360 outsold Yakuza 4. However the overall numbers are of such inconsequence they matter little in the grand scheme of things.

    Look at the week that Portal 2 came out. Despite giving PS3 owners the PC version for free, one of the finest games of this generation could only muster 35% on PS3. On the very same day, the very high brow Mortal Kombat registered a more respectable 46% share. At the same time, tactical (and presumably still non-idiot friendly shooter) OP Flashpoint was doing 70% on 360.

    I could go through and pick out the sports and racing games that have dominated on PS3 as well, but i think I've made my point. The PS3 definitely isn't some beacon of high brow jap-centric snobbery. There's plenty of chav-friendly product on that platform as well.



  • Trent_Steel #57 12 months ago

    @cowell

    Yes I know. But there's less of it and the COD / FIFA chavs aren't anything like as prominent among the userbase. Are you suggesting that Jap-centric snobs are found in equal numbers on 360? That's nonsense. Ironically enough though, in Japan itself the consoles' roles are reversed, with the 360 being home to obscurities and the PS3 the mainstream option.

    Portal came out during the PS3 downtime, so the sales gap makes sense.

    Bear in mind that far more exclusives come out on PS3 these days compared to 360 so there's been less need for PS3 owners to dip their toes into the second tier. The 2 free games they just recieved might also decrease sales in boxed software (though only if they bought LBP and Wipeout because the other 3 are dross to be quite frank)

    Anyway, to sum up, every time these sales figures come out all of Bill Gates's nocturnal emmisions come on here and harp on about how it shows how superior their console is, how many more 360s there are than PS3s blah blah blah.

    It shows neither of these things, other than 360 users buy more multiplatform games.

  • Quixz #58 12 months ago

    Attachment rate on the 360 is very high.

  • man.the.king #59 12 months ago

    @General_Ironfist

    "As I've said in the past ...We PS3 owners in general, just simply have better/more refined tastes. ...have higher standards than our 360 counter-parts."

    Don't flatter yourself. People are people, no matter what piece of plastic and electronics they own. I have a PS3 and a 360 (in addition to a Wii & a PSP). Does that mean my taste is "gasp" not as good as your "refined tastes"?

    ON-TOPIC: I was genuinely not aware about DNF release (not kidding here). I got inFamous 2 from Amazon last Tuesday and have been enjoying it ever since. Awesome game!

  • TechnicPuppet #60 12 months ago

    I can only think of one game and that is FF. The PS3 version was clearly superior to the 360 version and it is seen as a PS3 franchise. It sold more on the PS3, I can't think of any others though I am sure there are some.

    The only person being juvenile here is you by trying to claim some sort of sophisticated audience for the PS3 when it is not true. As for the argument about exclusives, how did COD:BO sell on the 360 when Halo Reach came out the same period?

  • riseer #61 11 months ago

    Just know 360 owners....the game is crap and it runs worse then crap on your console.

  • riseer #62 11 months ago

    Infamous2 or Duke Nukem...hmmmmm yea..i take the bald guy with super powers and is actualy a really good game.Oh and the KB advert was great as well....EPIC!!

  • riseer #63 11 months ago

    Killzone 3 looks like a Next gen game compared to DN period.The 30% who did buy DN needs to get their asses kicked when Infamous2 is out the same day.
    Edited by riseer at 20/06/11 @ 15:03