Tomb Raider takes UK No.1 and is the biggest launch of 2013 so far

The rebooted Tomb Raider is the new UK No.1.

Square Enix’s revamp of the long-running franchise has debuted at the top of the charts, and is also the biggest game launch of 2013 so far.

It has comfortably doubled the week one sales of previous best seller Aliens: Colonial Marines. That Sega game and Tomb Raider had both been given global Tuesday releases.

The sales also set a historical record for the franchise. This is the tenth Tomb Raider – and the sales are also double that of the previous franchise reset, Tomb Raider: Legend from 2006.

That also means the new Tomb Raider has ousted famed 2003′ turkey Lara Croft Tomb Raider The Angel of Darkness as the franchises fastest selling game.

Elsewhere in the charts, there are new games in the top four.

Despite launch server woes second place goes to EA’s Sim City.

Meanwhile, Namco Bandai’s Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 is No.3.

And The Sims 3: University Life is No.4.

So the top four are: A big blockbuster, a PC game, a niche fighter and expansion pack. Couldn’t sum up the current market any better.

More market data and chart analysis will be exclusively published in this week’s issue of MCV.