February US PC charts feel Wrath of the Lich King

The NPD Group doesn't release monthly PC game sales figures like it does for non-PC hardware, software, and accessories. But while the latter stats won't arrive until next Thursday, this week saw the US's top game-industry research firm release its list of the top 20 PC game software titles for February.

To the surprise of few, World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King was the month's most popular title. The second expansion to Blizzard Entertainment's nearly 12-million-user-strong massively multiplayer online role-playing game had lorded over the PC charts until the middle of February, when it was toppled by the month's third-place finisher, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II. However, THQ and Relic's critically praised real-time strategy sequel was still bested by chart perennial The Sims 2 Double Deluxe from Electronic Arts.

Besides the top slot, the WOW series owned fourth (World of Warcraft: Battle Chest), seventh (World of Warcraft), and 10th place (World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade) on the chart. In fifth was F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin from Lord of the Rings IP reclaimer Warner Bros., followed by Will Wright's evo-civi-space sim, Spore. EA also landed eighth place with the Sims 2 Apartment Life add-on, followed in ninth by Fallout 3, GameSpot's 2008 PC Game of the Year.

A full listing of the top 20 games of February is below. Rankings are drawn up from the NPD Group's survey of retailers and do not reflect online sales or digitally distributed content on services such as Valve Software's Steam.

Feb. Rank / Jan. Rank / Title / Publisher / Average Price
1 / 1 / World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $38
2 / 2 / The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / Electronic Arts / $19
3 / */ Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II / THQ / $49
4 / 3 / World of Warcraft: Battle Chest / Blizzard / $37
5 / * / F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin / Warner Bros. Interactive / $50
6 / 4 / Spore / Electronic Arts / $45
7 / 5 / World of Warcraft / Blizzard / $18
8 / 7 / The Sims 2 Apartment Life / Electronic Arts / $20
9 / 8 / Fallout 3 / Bethesda SoftWorks / $47
10 / 11 / World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade / Blizzard / $28
11 / 10 / Call of Duty: World At War / Activision (Activision Blizzard) / $46
12 / 9 / Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 / Electronic Arts / $30
13 / 6 / Left 4 Dead / Electronic Arts / $46
14 / * / The Sims 2 Deluxe / Electronic Arts / $18
15 / 12 / Civilization IV / 2K Games ( Take 2) / $21
16 / 13 / The Sims 2 Mansion & Garden Stuff / Electronic Arts / $18
17 / 17 / Starcraft: Battle Chest / Blizzard / $20
18 / 14 / Spore Creepy & Cute Parts Pack / Electronic Arts / $18
19 / */ Diablo Battle Chest / Blizzard / $34
20 / 16 / The Sims 2 Pets / Electronic Arts / $19