Quick update following the earlier story here regarding US PC sales (linky) the Top 10 PC Games in sale numbers for 2007 in the US has been released (thanks to NextGen.biz)

1. PC World Of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Expansion Pack*, Vivendi 2.25mm
2. PC World Of Warcraft, Vivendi 914K
3. PC The Sims 2 Seasons Expansion Pack, Electronic Arts 433K
4. PC Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare*, Activision 383K
5. PC Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars*, Electronic Arts 343K
6. PC Sim City 4 Deluxe, Electronic Arts 284K
7. PC The Sims 2, Electronic Arts 281K
8. PC The Sims 2, Bon Voyage Expansion Pack Electronic Arts 271K
9. PC MS Age Of Empires III, Microsoft 259K
10. PC The Sims 2 Pets Expansion Pack, Electronic Arts 236K

*Includes Collector’s, Kane Editions

Don’t think there are any surprises there, WoW has been a mega seller since it was released, The Sims franchise is massive, it is also great to see Call of Duty and C&C3 sneaking in there with some healthy figures.

I have been playing around with the demo for the upcoming Warhammer 40K Dawn of War expansion, Soulstorm. My thoughts?

The Warhammer franchise has had a few very successful years on the PC and is looking destined to have a similarly great one this year. The success is largely as a result of Relic’s Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War, a gritty, bloody, very good Real-Time Strategy which threw you head first into the universe of Warhammer 40K. Since the original game was released there have been two expansion packs (Winter Assault and Dark Crusade) which have added new races and changed the way the campaign works. Soon, the third expansion is due to land; Soulstorm.

Read the full preview on GAME.co.uk

GameSpot is reporting that PC game sales at retail for 2007 in the US totaled $911 million according to NPD statistics. This is 6% down from 2006 which saw $970 million in PC takings. The US PC takings have been on a steady decline since the 2004 peak of $1.1 billion. The NPD however recognise that the rise in digital distribution has played a key role in the falling retail figures, as the NPD doesn’t cover digital distribution figures it is not known how much is missing from the total PC sale figures in the US. This is what an NPD representative told GameSpot.

“The PC games sales landscape is changing to one that is increasingly reliant on digital sources of revenue. Our sales reflect the retail climate but there is a lot of gaming sales activity that is generated from digital downloads and subscriptions. I think the PC market continues to be quite healthy and we’re continuing to work on how to get our arms around the spending that occurs outside of retail. A number of our [surveys] ask respondents to indicate which platforms they game on, and the results of those questions make it very clear that the PC remains very prevalent, if not dominant, in the total gaming picture.”

Sales figures from digital distribution must be substantial, Steam has over 13 million subscribers and there are countless other channels for digital distribution. If figures from digital distribution were to be included in the total PC sales then it is likely that total figures would be closer to what they were in 2004.

It has emerged (according to GameSpot) that the release of Manhunt 2 in the UK has been put on hold again following a High Court Ruling. Judge Mitting overruled the Video Appeals Committee decision to allow Manhunt 2 to be released.

Following the VAC’s decision to allow the game to be released the BBFC took the case to the High Court and this led to the ruling from Judge Mitting. He said that the VAC had to judge whether Manhunt 2 could cause ‘potential harm and risk of harm’ to children rather than basing their judgment on actual harm.

Mitting then went on to say that the VAC must reclassify the game based on the new factors that he has brought to their attention.

It seems that this protracted case is drawing to an end and will most likely result in Manhunt 2 not being released in the UK. While the game may not have received great critical response it will be a shame for the game not to appear on UK shelves.

Finally the thought must be raised that this ruling is going to have an effect on many future releases. If the VAC and BBFC have to classify games based on potential harm to children I expect to see many future games be banned from release in the UK. Time will tell whether a dangerous precedent has been set.

In a major coup for Steam, the forthcoming STALKER expansion, Clear Sky will be available for digital download worldwide exclusively on Steam.

“It’s great to see a forward-thinking game maker like GCS Game World launching simultaneously in digital and traditional retail channels,” said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. “By launching S.T.A.L.K.E.R.:Clear Sky on Steam on the same day that it’s available in stores worldwide, GCS Game World ensures that gamers can get their hands on this highly-anticipated game in the way that’s most convenient for them.”

For such a game to be made available on Steam as an exclusive digital download is a big step for Valve and shows the faith that game companies have in Steam as a way of publishing their games. This is also significant as GSC haven’t mentioned retail distribution methods since departing from the THQ stronghold. This really shows that Steam is rapidly becoming the go-to place for many developers wanting to get their game to market. I would not be surprised to soon see some big name games only available on Steam.

More info.

I have recently received an email and had a few comments here that have led to me wanting to write an extended article regarding the current state of PC Gaming. The email and comments covered a few different aspects of PC Gaming (and gaming in general.) The email detailed how the person (who wants to remain anonymous) had quite suddenly fallen out of PC Gaming and shifted to console gaming. I have had comments here on the blog which have also led me to consider writing this piece. I have received a few concerning piracy which plays a key role in the PC Games industry at this moment in time, and I have had other comments regarding recent media coverage on the Mass Effect ‘sex scene’ controversy.

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Kotaku Australia has revealed that the upcoming Battlefield Heroes will only be available in the US and EU..’for now.’

Interesting to see this move by EA, maybe they want to see how their new free-to-play model works before going world wide? Who knows, but I am sure we will hear more on this in the coming months.

The second piece of news for the day comes by way of GamesPolitics and reveals that the Sierra Club plans to place a 1% sales tax on TV sets and Video Games. The plan is to raise $4 million to go towards funding programs to give kids an outdoors education.

I have my reservations on this, surely parents should be able to give their children this education themselves by taking them for a walk in the park or forest. I don’t see how this is going to have any real effect on anything apart from to line a few peoples pockets.

Finally CVG has unearthed some new Far Cry 2 screens, and they do look very very nice!

After the recent FOX News coverage on Mass Effect (info here.) EA have responded with a letter asking for FOX to apologize for the segment on Mass Effect. The letter was shared with Kotaku and makes for a good read. I am very pleased that EA have taken action against the blatantly false FOX coverage, and that they haven’t pressed legal action, just asked for an apology is a good move. Read the letter after the break.

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Some big changes for Team Fortress 2 have been revealed by Tom Francis in the PC Gamer UK blog, Battlefield Heroes gets a change of perspective, and the Games Developer Choice Awards nominations have been revealed!

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EVE Online, the space based MMO from CCP has been transported onto Steam and a 21-day free trial is now available. The game is also coming with a $5 discount for the first full month of play.

EVE Online, the award winning massively multiplayer online (MMO) game from CCP, is coming to Steam, a leading platform for the delivery and management of PC games and digital content with over 13 million accounts worldwide.

To celebrate the launch of Steam’s first massively multiplayer online game offering, a special 21-day trial period for EVE will be available, free of charge, to all Steam gamers. Steam gamers will also save $5 off their first full month of EVE Online.

EVE Online is a leader in online gaming technology, hosting hundreds of thousands of players in the same persistent universe. The latest of the EVE Online expansions, which are always free for players, introduces a graphic update of gargantuan proportions and a host of new gameplay features. Every ship, station, and stargate is rendered in an amazing splendor of spacefaring sights.

Learn more here.

I for one will try to get some action from this free trial and get my thoughts gathered on it.