First UK game download charts says SimCity was March’s PC bestseller

SimCity and BioShock Infinite come out the best in the first official PC download charts for the UK.

Published by trade association Ukie and collated by data firm Ipsos, the UK PC download charts are the culmination of years of effort to start accurately measuring a sector that has digital sales at its core.

Today, Ukie has published five charts for March – a hybrid digital/physical listing, plus digital charts in units and revenue terms to show the versatility of Ipsos’ work.

The first set of charts can be found below. In truth, the charts are only representative of the sales seen by the nine firms involved in the Ipsos/Ukie effort – but the group has gone live with data to force more companies to take part and contribute their records.

These charts are devised not by taking retail data (although some digital distributors are taking part to help verify info), but by asking publishers and developers to contribute their sales details direct.

Click here to read more about the strategy to the chart, and click here for an in-depth look at Ukie’s documentation on the new system, including industry testimonies and more data.

MARCH 2013: PC boxed & digital game sales combined (Units)

1. SimCity (Electronic Arts)

2. BioShock Infinite (2K Games)

3. The Sims 3: University Life (Electronic Arts)

4. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (Activision Blizzard)

5. Tomb Raider (Square Enix)

6. Football Manager 2013 (Sega)

7. Battlefield 3 (Electronic Arts)

8. The Sims 3 (Electronic Arts)

9. Just Cause 2 (Square Enix)

10. Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft)

MARCH 2013: PC digital game sales (Units)

1. BioShock Infinite (2K Games)

2. SimCity (Electronic Arts)

3. Tomb Raider (Square Enix)

4. Battlefield 3 (Electronic Arts)

5. The Sims 3: University Life (Electronic Arts)

6. Just Cause 2 (Square Enix)

7. Hitman Absolution (Square Enix)

8. Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft)

9. Football Manager 2013 (Sega)

10. Trials Evolution Gold (Ubisoft)

MARCH 2013: PC boxed sales (Units)

1. SimCity (Electronic Arts)

2. StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (Activision Blizzard)

3. The Sims 3: University Life (Electronic Arts)

4. Tomb Raider (Square Enix)

5. Football Manager 2013 (Sega)

6. The Sims 3 (Electronic Arts)

7. BioShock Infinite (Take 2)

8. The Sims 3: Seasons (Electronic Arts)

9. Guild Wars 2 (NCsoft Europe)

10. Crysis 3 (Electronic Arts)

MARCH 2013: PC digital full game sales (revenue)

1. SimCity (Electronic Arts)

2. BioShock Infinite (2K Games)

3. Tomb Raider (Square Enix)

4. Battlefield 3 (Electronic Arts)

5. Football Manager 2013 (Sega)

6. Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft)

7. Crysis 3 (Electronic Arts)

8. Tomb Raider Survival Edition (Square Enix)

9. Assassin’s Creed 3 (Ubisoft)

10. Guild Wars 2 (NCsoft Europe)

MARCH 2013: PC digital expansion game sales (revenue)

1. The Sims 3: University Life (Electronic Arts)

2. The Sims 3: Seasons (Electronic Arts)

3. Anno 2070 – Deep Ocean (Ubisoft)

4. The Sims 3: Ambitions (Electronic Arts)

5. The Sims 3: 70’s, 80s & 90s Stuff (Electronic Arts)

6. The Sims 3: Generations (Electronic Arts)

7. The Sims 3: World Adventures (Electronic Arts)

8. Anno 2070 DLC Complete Pack (Ubisoft)

9. Sleeping Dogs – DLC Collection (Square-Enix)

10. Total War: Shogun 2 – Rise of the Samurai Campaign (Sega)