Bethesda conquers UK charts

There's been a revolving door by the top of the UK all-formats chart in recent weeks. FIFA 09 was displaced by rival Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, and then Peter Molyneux's Fable II debuted at number one. Another new entry at the top of the chart this week sees Fallout 3 crowned as top seller and means Bethesda has its first self-published UK number one; The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the company's last megahit, was published in the region by 2K.

Fallout 3 also tops the individual Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC charts, although the bulk of its sales have come on Microsoft's console--55 percent, according to UK sales-tracking organisation Chart-Track, versus 28 percent on the PS3 and 17 percent on the PC. The latest game in the Fallout series has sold more copies in two days than all its predecessors (including Fallout Tactics and Brotherhood of Steel) have shifted to date--indicating that gamers have been saving up during the 10 years since the last official Fallout game.

Chart Track reports that Wii Fit has had its third-best week ever, perhaps reflecting that the stock-shortage problems are ending, which has pushed the game back up to number three. Nintendo is the only publisher with two games in the top 10 (Mario Kart Wii is hanging on at number nine), as recent releases have shaken up the chart and pushed perennial big-sellers, such as Wii Play and Brain Training, down to numbers 13 and 14 respectively.

EA's Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 arrives in the top 40 at number 15, although it is number two, behind Fallout 3, in the PC full-price chart. Other new entries in the top 40 include MySims Kingdom and High School Musical 3: Senior Year, and there are re-entries for Nintendogs and More Brain Training, perhaps reflecting the success of Nintendo's recent marketing campaigns based around both games.

With Epic's Gears of War 2 set to arrive in UK shops on Friday, Fallout 3 will face a tough battle to remain the UK number one next week.