UK charts: Guitar Hero 5 beats Beatles

By Robert Purchese Published 14 September, 2009

Plus: McRae sees off Batman.

Guitar Hero 5 has become the first in the leading music series to debut at the top of the UK all-formats chart, outselling colossal rival The Beatles: Rock Band to do so.

The latter makes its own little piece of history, however, by reaching a series entry high-point of four.

Codemasters enjoys more chart success as Colin McRae: DiRT 2 turns up at two, nudging previous leader Batman: Arkham Asylum down to three. With Ashes Cricket 2009 at 10, the publisher finally has a partnership worth shouting about.

505 Games can be pleased with IL-2 Sturmovik, too, after a strong second week at seven with only a 3 per cent dip in sales.

There are more new entries further down, as Championship Manager 2010 begins its campaign at 13, Mini Ninjas pops up at 15 and Section 8 wobbles down at 22.

Champions Online, meanwhile, makes a swift exit from the top 40, disappearing to number five in the PC top 20 after two weeks on sale.

The PC release of Batman: Arkham Asylum this week may muddle the top five once more, as could the arrival of Need for Speed: Shift. Otherwise, we see little that will upset these strong frontrunners.

This Week Last Week Title Platform(s)
1 New entry Guitar Hero 5 PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
2 New entry Colin McRae: DiRT 2 DS, PC, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
3 1 Batman: Arkham Asylum PS3, Xbox 360
4 New entry The Beatles: Rock Band PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
5 4 Wii Fit Wii
6 2 Wii Sports Resort Wii
7 6 IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey DS, PS3, PSP, Xbox 360
8 3 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Xbox 360, PS3, PC, DS
9 12 Mario Kart Wii Wii
10 5 Ashes Cricket 2009 PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
11 7 Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
12 9 Fight Night Round 4 PS3, Xbox 360
13 New entry Championship Manager 2010 PC
14 8 Call of Duty: World at War PC, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, DS
15 New entry Mini Ninjas DS, PC, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
16 10 Dissidia: Final Fantasy PSP
17 11 Wolfenstein PC, PS3, Xbox 360
18 15 Grand Theft Auto IV Xbox 360, PS3, PC
19 14 LEGO Batman DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
20 25 Brain Training DS
21 13 Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood PC, PS3, Xbox 360
22 New entry Section 8 PC, Xbox 360
23 21 G-Force DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
24 27 Professor Layton and the Curious Village DS
25 16 FIFA 09 PC, Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, DS
26 24 Guitar Hero: World Tour Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii
27 17 The Sims 3 PC
28 30 Killzone 2 PS3
29 29 Mario Kart DS DS
30 23 Wii Play Wii
31 22 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
32 31 Mystery Stories DS, PC
33 34 SEGA Superstars Tennis DS, PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
34 20 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
35 26 Assassin's Creed PC, PS3, Xbox 360
36 36 Sonic Unleashed PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360
37 19 Fallout 3: Add-On Pack 2 Xbox 360
38 28 LittleBigPlanet PS3
39 38 Carnival: Funfair Games Wii
40 40 Halo 3 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.

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

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Comments (40) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Toothball #1 2 years ago

    I guess I'd have preferred to see it the other way round, but I had a great few days with The Beatles so far so that's good enough for me.

  • stevetuck #2 2 years ago

    39 38 Carnival: Funfair Games

    Epic sales!

  • danathjo #3 2 years ago

    Got both GH5 and Beatles RB on Friday, my first entry into the whole music game genre (better late than never!) and while an expensive purchase off the bat I can finally see why people love them so much...fingers are a bit sore now though :p

  • cianchristopher #4 2 years ago

    Say what you like about Activision, but at leat they and RedOctane have treated Europe with respect when it comes to release dates and instrument quality (and release).

    I can't help but feel, that even though Rock Band is the slightly better series, they've lost a lot of good will through fucking up their European release dates, timed platform exclusivity and worst of all not releasing Rock Band 2 instruments in Europe until now.

    The history of the Rock Band franchise in PAL territories makes for some shameful reading....

  • Max_Powers #5 2 years ago

    Despite a large contingent of the gaming press that (wrongly) keeps insisting that Rock Band is the better game, the unwashed masses prove once again that they know quality and rightly push Guitar Hero 5 to the top.

  • menage #6 2 years ago

    Sigh, the only remotely decent games coming out the next few weeks are racing games. Wish it was october 13th alreeady. This year is turning out to be a bit uneventful.

  • actionfitz #7 2 years ago

    "Say what you like about Activision, but at leat they and RedOctane have treated Europe with respect when it comes to release dates and instrument quality (and release)."

    shame about the prices then.

  • Max_Powers #8 2 years ago

    Also, Guitar Hero: Metallica didn't nearly get enough praise. Challenging (on par with the Tool tracks in GH:WT), fun and a hoot with multiple players. And I don't even like metal!

  • Spidey987 #9 2 years ago

    "Say what you like about Activision, but at leat they and RedOctane have treated Europe with respect when it comes to release dates and instrument quality (and release)."

    For any other GH release, I'd agree with you but every retailer not named GAME have been saddled with last years guitar despite the newer model. And the fact that people the other side of the pond will be getting Van Halen free and in matter of months, whilst we have to presumably wait till the new year and pay full price takes what has been a great record for release dates down a notch.

  • CallousB #10 2 years ago

    Surprised to see Wii Fit go ahead of Wii Sports Resort after all this time.

  • ps3owner #11 2 years ago

    Beatles suck. there I said it... they've been around far too long. just my 2 cents.

  • paulf #12 2 years ago

    anyone know of anywhere I can see the actual sales figures not just the chart positions?

  • cianchristopher #13 2 years ago

    @ M@tt: I did not know that, thanks for the info. I guess it was only a matter of time before they started dicking around with their instrument release schedule as well. History teaches us that Activision are indeed wankers of the highest order.

    No surprise! :(

    I guess one thing that could be said in their favour though, is that they successfully laid the groundwork for the franchise in Europe over the past 4 years. Unlike Rock Band whose European endeavours are more like an abortion....

  • miiiguel #14 2 years ago

    " Beatles suck. there I said it... they've been around far too long. just my 2 cents."

    Don't understand this claim, Beatles "were around" for 13 years (just to give two examples: Rolling Stones - 37; Metallica - 28). If they are still "comercially around" is not their fault, imo.
    Just a matter of "bash the pop(ular) culture, so I can look hip" ?

  • linksdad #15 2 years ago

    Max, Metallica arent really metal.

  • FortysixterUK #16 2 years ago

    A shame GH5 beat the RB-Beatles game in sales, as when it comes to songs I want to hear and play, GH5 has around 10-12 songs I consider decent ( hence I'm not buying it) whereas RB-Beatles had 45 great songs, so warranted an immediate purchase, and so far, 3 complete play throughs.

    I think the Beatles re-releases may have fallen on slightly deaf ears as well, as there seem to be a lot of people, mostly under 30, who simply have no understanding or recognition of the brilliant music The Beatles produced ( could say the same for Zep, Floyd, Purple , Sabbath , the stones and the Who, I think they are all vastly underated and certainly mis-understood, by a certain age group )

    As for differences in gameplay between RB and GH...they both seem pretty similar to me, and as such, the game styles/play types could be interchangeable.

    It is always about the music with these types of games, and to date, none of the GH or RB releases has had an ironclad set list....until RB-Beatles, where every song is a winner. NONE of the previous GH or RB releases could claim this.

    On a slightly more cynical side, you could also see RB-Beatles as a simple promo tool prompting the buyer of RB-Beatles to go out and buy the Beatles new remastered cds, but as I would have done this regardless, that bit of marketing passed me by.
    Or is that a little too cynical ?

    Regards set lists for GH and RB games in general, until you can pay to have a custom set list made up of songs you want to hear and play, GH and RB will always be games I will buy when they have dropped dramatically in price, and not on release day.
    Perhaps Activision and the hated EA could offer that service for the next upgrade to said games? Allow you to order a customised tracklist version of a GH or RB game? Made just for you? Such a personalised service would at least justfiy the ridiculous £39.99 price tag games are still demanding these days.

  • JahB #17 2 years ago

    Max, Metallica arent really metal.

    you must be about 12 years old

  • ronuds #18 2 years ago

    I personally like the GH series a little more than RB, but that could be because I started with GH.

    Anyway, good to see them both doing well. Although, I feel like they've both oversaturated the market a bit with release after release.

    Also...Halo 3?? 0_o
    Edited by 1 at 14/09/09 @ 12:40

  • ps3owner #19 2 years ago

    the stones and Metallica suck as well btw.
    Edited by 1 at 14/09/09 @ 12:46

  • Toothball #20 2 years ago

    @cianchristopher:

    They do seem to have managed a simultaneous worldwide release for The Beatles, so evidently it's possible for them to do this with other games. As much as I love Rock Band, I don't expect them to repeat this feat with any future ones though.
    Edited by 1 at 14/09/09 @ 12:59

  • IneptPercy #21 2 years ago

    As much as rock band may be great if you don't like the beatles (like me) then you don't buy it, meanwhile GH5 does seem a bit tempting when the prices comes down.

  • Shinetop #22 2 years ago

    When is GH5 coming out with the full bundle (as in, including guitar, mike and drum kit) in Europe anyway? All I can find is the standalone game or just a bundle with a guitar.

  • Olemak #23 2 years ago

    Wow. Lots of really old games on that list... CoD4, obviously, but also Halo 3, LBP, KZ2 and Assassins Creed. Must be the sales spike (for both HD consoles) driving the sales of the golden oldies. Good for them :)

    OK, CoD4 never reallyt left the list in the first place. That must be the biggest commercial success fr a console game - if not ever, then certainly this generation? It just keps on selling, but pretty mch everyone must have a copy soon - right?

  • Putty-Man #24 2 years ago

    Has anyone got/heard any comments on the GH5 guitar?

    I'm still waiting on delivery of my pre-order from play so don't know if its any better than previous guitars.

  • Toothball #25 2 years ago

    @Putty Man:

    Here's an article on the GH5 guitar: http://ww w.fakeplasticrock.com/2009/09/0...

  • Tuffty #26 2 years ago

    GH:Metallica IS great, but the fact I can't play any DLC other than the Death Magnetic pack, really stings. I don't see any DLC planned for it either as it would probably require asking the band to come back and do the mo-cap thing again. Which is a shame cause I wanted ...And Justice For All dammit!

  • JahB #27 2 years ago

    @donnie

    needless to say, if you're basing your purchase decisions on reviews, the idea of pre-ordering is somewhat obsolete

  • danathjo #28 2 years ago

    @Donnie
    totally agree...I went out solely to buy B:RB only but could only find the stand alone game, a special edition guitar for £89.99 with NO game or two band bundles going for either £109 or £179!!

    I ended up getting GH5, guitar and GHWT (bundled in for free) for £69.99...luckily B:RB works fine with the GH guitar. This I thought was the much better solution.

  • Bazfrag #29 2 years ago

    Nirvana pwned the old codgers!!!! /jk

    +1 Max for mentioning Tool.

  • collateral89 #30 2 years ago

    gh 5 is a great game but on gh3 u cud complete songs on different difficulty lvs and earn a reward 4 doin so and on this u can complete the game on easy and get the same as doing it on hard with it showing no score on the career mode saying wat difficulty u completed the song on? am i doing something wrong

  • RobotRocker #31 2 years ago

    Welp, seems theres no hope at all for British gameplayers. You are all screwed and you deserve your awful 3-month expansion packs for buying that turd of a game.

    Your only shot at redemption is getting Brutal Legend to No.1 in Rocktober.

  • sailesh #32 2 years ago

    Great news for DiRT though, well deserved ^_^

  • fisherpot #33 2 years ago

    link'sdad: Metallica are metal and come to think of it I'm pretty sure 'Kill em All' was the start of what is called Speed metal and at the last album DM Sounds pretty heavy metal to me! You must have some hearing problem and a hole in your head!

    ps3owner: You really don't have a clue about music as your comments on this page are down right stupid and you must be into all the new generic music which record companies force out! 3 of the biggest selling bands of all time speaks for it self! I know every one has an opinion but some should be left out like you, on this page!

  • bodypopper #34 2 years ago

    Not a great showing for Mini Ninjas considering it's a multi platform release.

  • Numbat #35 2 years ago

    Dirt 2 is great and glad to see it doing well. I'm really glad we can at last have a bonanza of good racing games, with Shift & Forza also due soon.

  • WinterSnowblind #36 2 years ago

    I didn't expect Mini Ninja's to do particularly well.. The demo was pretty good, but it was quire clear the game was going to be quite short and very easy. It's nothing kids are going to be too excited about and older audiances will be turned off by the kiddy look and lack of challenge.

    Also doesn't help that it seems to be very expensive everywhere, I was up in the city centre today and everywhere was selling it for £45, alongside things like Batman and the Beatles for £39.

    It's good to see developers doing more adventure type games.. But like the EG review said, they should have put more trust into their audiance, the complete lack of difficulty or depth is going to stop me buying it, even when it seriously drops in price.

  • Tomo #37 2 years ago

    Wow, I didn't think GH5 would get near TBRB. What's the cost of each? Can you play GH5 with all your old gubbins, whereas TBRB you can't? I don't follow the music games very much so just trying to get a feel for why GH5 did so well...

  • Toothball #38 2 years ago

    @Tomo:

    Both games are compatible with pretty much any instruments you may already have. Both games cost around £40 - £50 depending on where you shop. There were two instruments sets of The Beatles, one with the new kit for £180 or so, and the other with old kit for £110. Guitar Hero seemed to be available with guitar for £80 - £90 I think, although my attention was squarely on Beatles when I saw it.

  • FortysixterUK #39 2 years ago

    And now for a word from our resident cretin:-

    ps3owner :-Beatles suck. there I said it... they've been around far too long. just my 2 cents.

    You heard it here first folks, this guy is a cretin.
    Anyone else want to add a quality comment like our cretin friend here to what is mostly a mature and sensible conversation ?

  • agentk1986 #40 2 years ago

    I'm 23 and I think the Beatles are great. I can thank my parents for introducing the Beatles and other 'oldies' to me because it was what they wanted to listen to on the radio.