No prizes for guessing who's at Number 1
The monthly magazine for employees within the gaming industry, Develop, have compiled a Top 100 list of the U.K's most successful developers of 2005.
The figures were collated by working alongside ELSPA and Chart-Track, and based on sales in the U.K.
This list is courtesy of Next-gen biz, to view the top 100, please visit their site:here
Number 10Source: Next Gen Biz
Sony London Studios
Sneaking into the gap left by EA and Konami, whose soccer brands didn’t make PSP’s UK launch, Sony’s ever-expanding London studio caused something of an upset with its World Tour Soccer, being one of the handheld’s best-selling games of the year. Updates for its EyeToy and Singstar ranges also sold well.
Number 9
Traveller’s Tales
The great success story of UK development in 2005 was the three million plus global sales of Lego Star Wars. Created in combination by publisher Giant and developer Traveller’s Tales (they’ve since merged), not only did it provide to be a triumph of negotiations, in terms of getting access to the brands in the first place, but the game was excellent as well.
Number 8
EA Redwood Shores
It was a troubled year for EA’s HQ devteams. With big hope The Godfather shuffled back into 2006, it was left to old dependables such as Tiger Woods to ensure a top 10 position, with the 2006 and 2005 models racking up £11 million ($19 million) in sales between them. What was more a problem was the failure to to broaden EA’s Bond license, with the retro-styled From Russia With Love performing disappointingly.
Number 7
Polyphony Digital
The highest entry for a studio based on a single game, Gran Turismo 4 roared into retail and scooped up £21 million ($36 million) in sales, despite dropping its online mode at the last minute. However with such a loving constructed development team behind the wheel, don’t expect Polyphony to feature in the top 10 next year, although bike sim Tourist Trophy and a possible PSP GT would see it safely in the top half.
Number 6
Ubisoft Montreal
As Vancouver is to EA so is Ubisoft’s Montreal operation to the French publisher. It’s the ability to turn out highly profitable franchises on an annual basis, which sees the studio maintaining its top 10 position in the survey. And with another Splinter Cell, as well as games based on animated films Open Season and Surf’s Up due in 2006 and 2007, expect normal service to continue.
Number 5
Nintendo
It’s a measure of the success of DS in the UK (as everywhere else) that Nintendo managed to jump 23 places this year. An amazing 79 percent of its revenue came from DS software, with the port of trusty old Super Mario 64 being the single biggest seller. But in true Pokémon-style, it was the three Nintendogs releases which really gained Nintendo places - over £6 million ($10 million) in a mere three months while Mario Kart DS and Wario Ware Touched! also performed well.
Number 4
Maxis
Perhaps it’s too easy to be cynical about Maxis, which continues to accumulate huge sales through the various expansion packs and console conversions of its Sims brands. But shouldn’t its sales should really be added to Redwood Shores now, following the relocation of most staff? Only Will Wright continues in the original Walnut Creek skunkworks.
Number 3
Konami Corporation
If the sales of all three of Konami’s Japanese studios were combined (as will happen next year following their reorganization), it would rank as number two on the list. But for 2005, it will just have to enjoy another great year for signature soccer brand Pro Evolution, which while still outsold by EA’s FIFA by around 30 percent, seems to be widely regarded as the superior product.
Number 2
Pandemic Studios
Three success stories place Pandemic as the leading independent developer in terms of UK sales: Star Wars: Battlefront II; Mercenaries and Destroy All Humans! A great mixture of licenses and new IP, its merger with BioWare as part of Elevation Partners’ strategic investment in the companies, should give it the opportunity to remain in the top 20 for years to come.
Number 1
EA Canada
Whatever combination of skill, professionalism, commitment, hard work and luck it takes to be number one, the scary thing for the opposition is that EA Canada seems to be getting better. Revenues were up 21 percent compared to 2004, with the current versions of both FIFA and Need For Speed improving their year-on-year.
