The Sun Rises On The Xmas NO 1(UK)

Monday 22 December 2003/... ELSPA, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, and Ladbrokes, the UK's favourite bookmaker, have today announced the official computer and video games Christmas Number One: Medal of HonorTM Rising Sun from Electronic Arts.

Electronic Arts dominated the official Christmas week sales chart, with six titles in the top ten. Despite hot competition from titles such as Pop Idol and The Sims, it is the more traditional gaming genres such as sport, first person shooters and action/adventure titles that have swept the board.

Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA, said: "The UK video games industry sales have been on the rise for the last 20 years – they topped the £2 billion mark for the first time in 2002 and this year will see the trend continue. This Christmas saw Ladbrokes create the first ever official 'book' on the number one video game. All of this is evidence that gaming is now accepted as mainstream entertainment for all the family."

A spokesperson for Ladbrokes commented: "Customers may be ripping open their presents on Christmas Day - but they won't be ripping up their betting slips! Medal of Honor has been backed in from 14/1 to 3/1 second favourite and there will be quite a few happy customers who will have lots more money to spend on video games come the January sales."

The Official UK Leisure Software Charts © ELSPA compiled by Chart-Track for w/e 21st December (multi-format):

1 – Medal of Honor: Rising Sun (EA)
2 – Need for Speed: Underground (EA)
3 – The Simpsons: Hit and Run (Vivendi)
4 – FIFA Football 2004 (EA)
5 – Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (EA)
6 – True Crime: Streets of LA (Activision)
7 – Tony Hawks Underground (Activision)
8 – The Sims Bustin' Out (EA)
9 – Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (EA)
10 – Finding Nemo (Disney/THQ)