'Database' of weekly top 10 sellers in RealAracde since 2001

[James C. Smith]

I have collected and organized the weekly top 10 seller list from RealArcade for many years. Here is a link to an Excel workbook with all the data (http://www.kimberandjames.com/clip/realaracde_top_10.xls). Some of the data goes back to Match of 2001 when the top selling games were Cue Club, Kyodai Mahjongg, Bingo Slots, Red Ace, Pinball: Thrillride, Jetboat 2, Primal Prey, Flux, Snood, and Solitaire. But there are many gaps in the data. I am missing large chunks of 2001 and 2002, small parts of 2003, and one week in 2004. If you have any of this data I would very much appreciate it if you could forward it to me.

The same data is included in two formats. One just lists 10 columns with the top 10 games each week. The other format makes it easier to see how each game performed by dedicating a column to each game. In this view you can easily see that Backspin Billiards debuted at #7, stayed at #9 for 2 weeks, and then fell off the list. And at a glance you can see that Feeding Frenzy started at #2 and held it for 8 weeks before making its slow decent down the top 10 list for a total of 42 weeks.

Using this data I have attempted to make a list of the all time best selling games in Real Arcade. Since I don’t have actual unit sales data this is just a rough estimate. It is based on their placement in the weekly top 10 list. It is assumed that placing higher in the top 10 last helps a game more than placing lower in the list. This ranking does not take into account the growth in the market. In other words, a game that was the #1 seller for 10 weeks in 2001 is given just as much credit as a game ranked #1 for 10 weeks in 2005. In reality, the 2005 game probably sold more units and generated more revenue than the 2001 game. Therefore, my ranking here really says which games outsold their competition of their time. Also, the scoring method is very simplistic. (Explained in the Excel file) Maybe an exponential score would make more senses so that there would be a bigger difference in score between #1 and #3 then the difference between #7 and # 10. Also, there are many gaps in my top 10 data with makes is less accurate. Several weeks have estimate numbers or no numbers at all. This data is slightly biased toward Rebound (a.k.a. Ricochet) because I started tracking these trends when Rebound was released. Other games that came out before Rebound don’t have as much data as they should. Also, for the first few months of Rebound’s life I only tracked Rebounds placement in the top 10 list and not the placement of other games. I have gone back and filled in some of the data for the other games where it was possible to do so (Way Back Machine web archive). If anyone has more accurate data I would love to update my lists.

Estimated Top sellers of all time in Real Arcade

Rebound
Diamond Mine
Zuma Deluxe
Kyodai Mahjongg
Super Collapse! II
Feeding Frenzy
Puzzle Inlay
Magic Inlay
Mahjongg Towers
Gutterball 3D
Jewel Quest
Book Worm Deluxe
Scrabble
Cue Club
Super Collapse
The Red Ace
Jigsaw Puzzle Golden Edition
Cubis Gold
Bejeweled 2
Rebound Lost Worlds
Chainz
Magic Ball 2
Insaniquarium
Mah Jong Medley
Slingo Deluxe



Obviously, some of those games (Zume) are still selling very well. They may eventually eclipse the games that were once great but don’t sell so much anymore (Rebound).

Rebound was in the top 10 for 103 weeks in a row from 1/18/2002 through 1/2/2004. Diamond Mine was in the top 10 for 114 non-consecutive weeks but had a slightly lower average position than Rebound. Zume has 62 weeks and counting (it is recently averaging between the #4 and 5 stop in the top 10). Super Collapse II had a 65 week run ending last December. Feeding Frenzy’s 42 week run also ended last December.

See the actual week by week data in the Excel file (http://www.kimberandjames.com/clip/realaracde_top_10.xls) to see how much of this was estimated data (highlighted in grey) vs. hard data and to see how all the other games did.

Feel free to post the most interesting trend you found or new ways you have created to organize and visualize this data.

[Omega]

You just want to be relatively certain to have had the #1 game on RealArcade, that's what you're trying to do ;) Actually, that would be a great selling point.

[James C. Smith]

:D I may have had the #1 selling game on Real Arcade but I know it won’t last. Zumu will over take it soon according my “score” system and I sure Zume already overtook it a long time ago according to number of units sold. Zuma being #1 for the first 4 months of 2004 had to be way more valuable than Rebound’s top 4 camp out in 2002.

Regardless, it is really cool to see all this data on all the games.

[Bmc]

awesome! thnks for sharing! :)

[bill]

this kind of market research is mandatory reading. thanks

[PoV]

Yeah, that's awesome. Thanks for sharing James.

[Stu]

This is a treasure of data. Many thanks James.

[James C. Smith]

I almost forgot to say thanks to JPGinLA and Matthew. Last week they both sent me several weeks worth of newsletters to fill in one of the gaps I had. I am still hoping someone else has some older newsletters achieved (or that one recent issue #190) and is willing to share.

[JPGinLA]

Interesting stuff James. Why don't you just ask someone at Real (Dan Prigg?) or Dave Nixon or some other alum to get you the missing newsletters? I'm sure they'll oblige.

-JPG

[Daniel]

James,

Here's a screen shot of your missing week in 2004, if it's for any help:
http://www.arcadelab.net/temp/2004-11-11_RealArcade.png

// Daniel

[Fantus]

Amazing information. I tried to turn it into a chart but that didn't go too well :)

[goodsol]

For completeness, the game that they for some bizarre reason referred to as just "Solitaire" in the 2001 lists is Pretty Good Solitaire. You can see this in the way back machine by clicking on the solitaire link in the top list.

Too bad the lists don't go back to 2000 :)

[James C. Smith]

Thanks Daniel. I filled in the one missing week and posted a new version of the file.

Goodsol, thanks for the info about “Solitaire”. I was wondering which one it was but I didn't take the time to investigate. I will update my data.

[Stu]

Using this data I have attempted to make a list of the all time best selling games in Real Arcade. Since I don’t have actual unit sales data this is just a rough estimate. It is based on their placement in the weekly top 10 list. It is assumed that placing higher in the top 10 last helps a game more than placing lower in the list. This ranking does not take into account the growth in the market. In other words, a game that was the #1 seller for 10 weeks in 2001 is given just as much credit as a game ranked #1 for 10 weeks in 2005. In reality, the 2005 game probably sold more units and generated more revenue than the 2001 game. Therefore, my ranking here really says which games outsold their competition of their time.

I have been playing with simple formulas which assign a 'copies sold per week' value based on their placement in the top ten. Sure it's crude but it may give some idea. I assume you are using a similar formula. Would you share it?

[James C. Smith]

I have made no attempt at calculating the number of units sold. It would be very different at different points in history. I could probably make a somewhat accurate formula for the weeks some of Reflexive’s games were in the top 10 list but then Real Networks would probably complain that I was breaking the non-disclosure terms of they contact they have with Reflexive. I am trying to be very careful to only base this on public information. Units sold is not public information. I have gotten in the trouble in the past when I posted results that were based on data from royalty statements.

In the spreadsheet there is a formula used to assign a “score” to each game based on how high up in the top 10 list it was placed and for how long. This very simple score is described at the bottom of the data. Basically a game gets 10 point for each week at #1 and 1 point for each week at #10. ScoreOneWeek = (11 – RankOneWeek) or 0 if not ranked that week. Total score is the sum of all these weekly score.

[ibsta]

quality info I tell ya'.

[James C. Smith]

For those who care to track this sort of thing, I update this Excel document (http://www.kimberandjames.com/clip/realaracde_top_10.xls) every Wednesday when Real releases their new top 10 list for the week. As of today it shows that the games that have done best over the past 10 weeks are:

Mah Jong Quest
Bejeweled 2
Big Kahuna Reef (only available for 8 out of the 10 weeks)
Magic Ball 2
Zuma Deluxe (may be near the end of it’s LONG run in the top 10)
Diner Dash (very nice considering it has only been out for 4 week)
Word Slinger (only available for 6 out of the 10 weeks)

Last week's new release Heavy Weapon Deluxe debuted at the #6 spot in list. Today Real launch some great new games so the competition is really heating up. I expect next weeks top 10 to include Luxor, Cosmic Bugs, and maybe BeTrapped! But I am not sure which game would fall off the list to make room for them. There are so many great games out there now. (if you are into "casual" games)

[Sillysoft]

Reading you message I looks very similar to a report about weekly movie box-office sales. Just like theater chains launch new movies and some last longer then others as best sellers.

[gpetersz]

As a wannabe-indie I can't say anything else: thank you!

[z3lda]

How about a web version? :)

[James C. Smith]

That sounds like a great idea for someone with more time and web programming experience than myself. All the data is her for anyone to reproduce in whatever format they like.

[Fantus]

That sounds like a great idea for someone with more time and web programming experience than myself.

I'd like to do that. It shouldn't take too long and I have enough knowhow to build a nice system around it.

[z3lda]

I'd like to do that. It shouldn't take too long and I have enough knowhow to build a nice system around it.

Awesome. That be a great service to the community!

thanks

[Fantus]

That be a great service to the community!
No prob :)

Working on it right now, and at a point where I'm setting up a list of portals with top 10 lists to track (top 5 is good too). I have 12 sites already, but probably missing some. If someone knows a portal that can be tracked, post it here please. That will make the data even more accurate.

[gamefiesta]

We have a top list you can track. The site is growing rapidally(as Alexa will show) and are going to step it up in April and May big time. Major marketing and promotion plan.

Love the indie forums anything I can do to help I am here.

George

[James C. Smith]

The new weekly top 10 sellers list from Real is now added to this Excel document (http://www.kimberandjames.com/clip/realaracde_top_10.xls).


1. Luxor (new)
2. Diner Dash (5th week in top 10)
3. I SPY Spooky Mansion Deluxe (2nd week)
4. WordJong™ To Go (new)
5. Bejeweled 2 Deluxe (18th week)
6. Saints & Sinners Bingo (3rd week)
7. Mah Jong Quest (11th week)
8. Big Kahuna Reef (9th week)
9. Cosmic Bugs (new)
10.BeTrapped! (new)


Congratulations to Retro64 for making the list. I hope Cosmic Bugs can climb even higher text week. It is getting really tough with so many good casual game. This week some enduring games finally fell out of the top 10. Zuma ended its 64 week run in the top 10 list! Magic Ball 2 ended its 13 week run. Word Slinger ended its 6 week run. And Heavy Weapon Deluxe ended its 1 week run having never made it above the #6 spot. Or course, any of these could be back next week.

[simonh]

Congrats Mike! :) Entering the top 10 is no mean feat.

Popcap must be a little disappointed with the performance of Heavy Weapon, likewise Real/Sprout with Pizza Tycoon. Both are nowhere to be seen in the top 10 so soon after their releases. Just goes to show that even if you have the most wonderfully produced game, there's no guarantee it will sell.

[Mike Boeh]

Thanks James and Simon...

We'll see if it lasts or not (still not too confident). I actually didn't think it was going to crack the top 10 because of the games already there- plus I had the bad luck of being released the same week as Luxor, which got almost all of the headline promotion.

Bricks of Camelot was released this week along with the latest Inlay game, Charm Tale- both of which will definitely be in the top 10 next week. So something else has to go...

The shocker to me is: I SPY Spooky Mansion Deluxe (http://game?gameid=ispyspookymansiondeluxe&src=rahome040624&tps=ambient_)
That's a 250 meg game at #3!!!

[Dan Prigg]

I m not even sure, I have all that info :)

[James C. Smith]

Here is this weeks Real Arcade top 10 list with a little historic note next to each item. As always, the full history is available in this Excel document (http://www.kimberandjames.com/clip/realaracde_top_10.xls).

1) Luxor (3rd week on chart holding the #1 spot all 3 weeks)
2) Charm Tale (2nd week on chart, up from #4 last week)
3) Diner Dash (7th week, down from #2)
4) I SPY Spooky Mansion Deluxe (4th week, down from #3)
5) Bejeweled 2 Deluxe (20th week, up from #6)
6) Cosmic Bugs (3rd week, down from #5)
7) Mah Jong Quest (13th week, holding at #7)
8) WordJong™ To Go (3rd week, up from #9)
9) Bricks of Camelot (NEW)
10) Big Kahuna Reef (11th week, holding at #10)

This week BeTrapped! got pumped off the list after spending 2 weeks on the list with a peek ranking of #8. Last week Saints & Sinners Bingo got pumped off the list after spending 3 weeks on the list with a peek ranking of #2. Four weeks ago Heavy Weapon Deluxe debuted on the top 10 list at #6 and then promptly vanished from the list. I though it may reappear on the list but this is the 3rd week with no Heavy Weapon Deluxe.
Zuma Deluxe, Word Slinger, and Magic Ball 2 also disappear at the same time as Heavy Weapon and have not reemerged in the past 3 weeks.

[James C. Smith]

Once again, here is this weeks Real Arcade top 10 list with a little historic note next to each item. As always, the full history is available in this Excel document (http://www.kimberandjames.com/clip/realaracde_top_10.xls).

Luxor (4th week in top 10 list, held #1 position all 4 weeks)
Diner Dash (8th week in top 10 up from #3 last week)
Poker Superstars™ (new)
Bejeweled 2 Deluxe (21st week, up from #5)
Rebound Lost Worlds (1st recent week in top 10 after 28 week absence. Previously in top 10 for 20 weeks)
Cosmic Bugs (4th week in top 10)
Charm Tale (3rd week, down from #2)
I SPY Spooky Mansion Deluxe (5th week, down from #4)
Mah Jong Quest (14th week, down from #7)
Big Kahuna Reef (12th week)

This week WordJong™ To Go fell out of the top 10 list after being listed for 3 weeks and peeking at #4. Bricks of Camelot also feel out of the list after only 1 week at #9.

Note: Real recently ran a 50% off sale on Rebound Lost Worlds (a.k.a. Ricochet Lost Worlds) which propelled it back into the top 10 again.

[Mike Boeh]

Man, only one week in the top 10 for Bricks of Camelot. This is really a shocker to me. Bricks of Egypt was a #1 game and, IMO, Camelot is even better. I just don't get it. Any theories?

[James C. Smith]

There is just very stiff competition. There are lots of great games available right now. None of them are breakout games but they all still compete for the attention of the customers. Oh, well I guess the discounted version of Rebound could have played a role in knocking out Bricks of Camelot but I think it could have easily happened without the Rebound sale.

[svero]

Yep.. competition right now for those spots is quite fierce. The games are just getting better and better on average. Its a little ominous. I remember when I first got into this one of the key reasons was... "Bah... all these sharware games are crap.. I can do better". I don't think thart anymore. Nowdays I'm like.. oh god lookit that.. I hope I can pull off something that doesn't look TOO stupid next to that.

[Mike Boeh]

Bricks of Egypt hit #1 in september. It also spent several weeks at #2. I really don't think the competition has changed THAT much in the last 6 months. Yes, it has increased, but not enough to knock out a sequel to a #1 after just one week on the chart. There must be something else contributing as well...

1. People had their fill of breakout games? (doubt it)
2. Rebound Lost Worlds sale. (this probably had some effect, but it was also in the charts when bricks of egypt was on top)
3. Powerful games at the top, ie: Luxor.
4. Different/less amount of promotion from Real.
5. People already found Camelot through other portals- it was a bit late entering Real Arcade.
6. People just like the Egypt game more for some reason.
7. Randomness.
8. Everyone was too busy playing COSMIC BUGS (okay we know that isn't it, but hey, i can dream)
9. People got their fill with Bricks of Egypt...
10. Combination of all these...

I am sure there are other reasons too, but those are off the top of my head..

[Barknee Holden]

I think number one will surprise us all when it finally hits. Breakout clones are like Reality TV shows. No one can figure out why they've survived as long as they have. No one knows when, but one day we'll wake up and they just won't work anymore.

[svero]

And that, not coincidentally at all mind you, will be the exact day I decide to release some kind of breakout game and not one millisecond before.

[James C. Smith]

I update this Excel document (http://www.kimberandjames.com/clip/realaracde_top_10.xls) every week but it has been a few weeks since I posted any comments about it here. This is the most recent week of data

Luxor (8th week in top 10 list. #1 all 8 weeks!)
Mahjong Garden To Go (2nd week in top 10 list. Up from #6)
Casino Island To Go (4th week in list. Down from #2)
Diner Dash (12 week in list. Down from #3)
Tradewinds 2 (3rd week in list. Down from #4)
Bejeweled 2 Deluxe (25 week in list! Down from #5)
Texas Hold 'Em (NEW)
I SPY Spooky Mansion Deluxe (9th week in list. Up from # 9)
Cosmic Bugs (8th week in list. Down from #7)
Mah Jong Quest (18th week in list. Holding at #10)

Comment:
Luxor still kicks ass!
According to my simple “scoring” system, Cosmic Bugs has now surpassed Game House’s Super Pop & Drop and Super Boucne Out, Puzzle Labs’ Fiber Twig and Puzzle Myth, Sprout’s Iggle Pop! and Pizza Frenzy and Word Harmony, Big Fish Games’ Magic Vines, Mumbo Jumbo’s Ultra Ball, and Oberon’s Inspector Parker. Congradulations Mike!

Recent exits form the top 10 include:
Charm Tale (a Puzzle/Magic Inlay type game) lasted for 5 weeks and peeked at #2
Poker Superstars™ lasted for 4 week and peeked at #3

[James C. Smith]

I don't see any breakout games in that list and I only count two "match 3" games.

[Mike Boeh]

Yep, people are finding other genres that can do well with the casual audience.... It's about time!

I think tomorrow we will see Cosmic Bugs make its exit from the real top 10 :(

[sparkyboy]

Thanks again James for this information.

It certainly seems that times are a changing. :D

I wonder if its not too early to push the bounderies a little further like...oh I don't know use keyboard or joystick for input. :eek:

Probably not,but at least we are seeing a lot more variety of games in the top ten lists.That can only be good news. :D


All the best y'all.

Mark.

[ggambett]

I wonder if its not too early to push the bounderies a little further like...oh I don't know use keyboard or joystick for input. :eek:
I've been thinking about that lately - I don't think people are allergic to keyboards per se, but they prefer the mouse for analog type games. Take Wonderland for example. It does great, it's been in the Big Fish top ten for ages, and you can ONLY play it with the keyboard. But the keyboard is the perfect input device for this game.

[Jim Buck]

There's no law that says you can't support keyboard and mouse and joystick all in one game.. just make sure it works really well with the mouse, though. :)

[Mike Boeh]

New chart just came out:

1. Luxor (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=luxor&tps=ambient_)
2. Maui Wowee (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=mauiwowee&tps=ambient_)
3. Mahjong Garden To Go (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=mahjonggardentogo&tps=ambient_)
4. Diner Dash (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=dinerdash&tps=ambient_)
5. Casino Island To Go (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=casinoislandtogo&tps=ambient_)
6. Charm Solitaire (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=charmsolitaire&tps=ambient_)
7. Tradewinds 2 (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=tradewinds2&tps=ambient_)
8. Bejeweled 2 Deluxe (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=bejeweled2deluxe&tps=ambient_)
9. Magic Ball 2 (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=magicball2&tps=ambient_)
10. BreakQuest (http://www.realarcade.com/game?gameid=breakquest&tps=ambient_)

Congrats to Felix for popping into the top 10 :) Cosmic Bugs is gone, and Tumble Bugs has finally been released. Luxor shows no signs of weakness at all.

[svero]

Gamehouse has listed Tubmlebugs as their number 1 game for a few weeks now. Lah-dee-da... nothing to see here.. move along folks...

[ManuelFLara]

Yeah, congrats to Felix for making it to the Real Top 10 :D

Gamehouse has listed Tubmlebugs as their number 1 game for a few weeks now. Lah-dee-da... nothing to see here.. move along folks...
I have just played it and I must say I hate it! Seriously Beetle Bomp is far better. Maybe Tumblebugs has better art, but I promise you it does not make it a better game. Although the main reason that made me don't enjoy the game is that it has really really serious clipping issues. The upper 25% or so had things flicking and disappearing all the time: buttons, a chunk of background, and the balls themselves! Almost impossible to play. Also the Progress Map screen didn't seem to have any Exit button.. very weird.

I definitely think you should release your game.

[NuriumGames]

Many thanks Mike and Manuel, I thought the game was not there (till pressed the 'Update Game Guide' button :D ).

Svero, I'm still waiting for Beetle Bomp, tried Tubmlebugs and sincerely think yours is better, even there are no bugs in Tubmlebugs, just rotating balls with some painting.

Mike, congrats to you too, Cosmic Bugs seems to be performing very well in the portals.

And Manuel, even more congratulations to you, your are very young and sure I could not do something like the Cursed Wheel at your age.

Well, as in Pulp Fiction famous quote, 'Let's not start sucking each other's ...'

[Sharpfish]

Heh.. I rewatched Pulp Fiction DVD just the other day... this was in a rare "time away from the PC due to development fever".. I had to have at least 3 hours break a month surely? ;)

Anyway.. Congrats Felix! Breakquest is imo the best "breakout" out there (and there are a LOT of decent ones to choose from). :)

Hope you get plenty 0' revenue to put into your next games...

[svero]

It's stil coming.. It will be dramatically changed from what those of you who tried the last beta saw. Major mods.

- S

[sparkyboy]

I reiterate everything that has been said above.Well done to all of you.

I too have played tumblebugs,and asked myself,where are the bugs! :p

Anyway,didn't get to play beetle bomp,but from what I saw of the screenshots i'm sure its gonna kick some serious butt. :D

Well done Steve for not giving up on your game. :cool:


All the best Mark.

P.S

What are they putting in the water these days. :p