UK Chart: Tomb Raider enjoys best launch of 2013

Tomb Raider has debuted at No.1 on the UK all formats all prices chart with the best launch of 2013 to date.

The game sold more than twice the number of copies managed by Aliens: Colonial Marines when it recorded 2013's previous best launch.

The title also beat 2006's Tomb Raider: Legend to record the strongest first week sales for any game in the series, although as pointed out by retail monitor Chart Track, the series reboot was the first entry in the series to launch as an 'Event' title on a Tuesday.

Fellow new releases SimCity, Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 and The Sims 3: University Life all debuted in the top five during the week ended March 9, while new 3DS exclusive Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate failed to break into the top 40.

GfK/Chart-Track Top 10 (previous week):

  1. Tomb Raider (Square Enix)
  2. SimCity (EA)
  3. Naruto Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 (Namco)
  4. The Sims 3: University Life (EA)
  5. FIFA 13 (EA)
  6. Crysis 3 (EA)
  7. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Activision)
  8. Far Cry 3 (Ubisoft)
  9. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (Konami)
  10. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda)

Tomb Raider hit the one million player milestone in less than two days, developer Crystal Dynamics said last week.

“Lara Croft's latest adventure is easily her best,” we said in our Tomb Raider review, adding: “Lara Croft, the old Lara Croft, is dead. In place of a dolled-up gunslinger is a do-what-it-takes survivor--and we hope she hasn't had her fill of adventuring just yet.”

Square Enix announced the first round of Tomb Raider DLC last week. Arriving on March 19, the Caves & Cliffs multiplayer map pack will be a timed Xbox 360 exclusive release.