the_sims2.jpgNPD released the January sales chart for PC games and it was completely dominated by two franchises. Can you guess which two, without referring back to the title of this article? In case you couldn’t, the two franchises are and .

What’s really weird is the number of older titles in each series that have shown staying power. The III Battlechest and Sim City 4 Deluxe both charted in the top 20. While Sim City Societies or the newest 2 expansion packs would seem sure bets, these classics are showing some true longevity. Perhaps it’s a side-effect of their sequels bringing in new fans who want to explore the games’ past?

It’s interesting to note how vanilla the PC game charts have become. Beyond the two main franchises you find almost every other title is a casual game, first-person-shooter or real-time-strategy. What happened to the golden days of PC gaming when lots of different genres were represented? Sure, different genres still sell, but it can’t be a good sign for the health of the platform when expansion packs and sequels for a couple of titles dominate all sales. What the PC needs now, more than in a long time, is another Doom or that turns the industry on its head. Actually, using as something that is needed more just feels wrong in this instance.

January PC sales chart

  1. World Of
  2. 4: Modern Warfare
  3. World Of : Battle Chest
  4. World Of : Burning Crusade
  5. 2 Deluxe
  6. Diner Dash
  7. 15000 Games
  8. The Sim City 4 Deluxe
  9. 2 Teen Style Stuff
  10. Crysis
  11. 2 Bon Voyage
  12. Half Life 2: Episode 2 The
  13. 2
  14. III Battle Chest
  15. Pirates Of The Burning Sea
  16. Rock Tour Tycoon
  17. Sim City 5: Societies
  18. 2 Seasons
  19. Age Of Empires III
  20. Age Of Empires III: Asian Dynasties

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