UK top 40: Modern Warfare 3 sells fewer than Black Ops

UPDATE: The Association for UK Interactive Entertainment has been in touch to say the "just under two million units sales" and £83.1 million revenue figures for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 are "unverified" and should be disregarded.

ORIGINAL STORY: Modern Warfare 3 demolished all opposition to conquer the UK video game sales chart this week.

Surprisingly, Modern Warfare 3 sold fewer units in the UK in one week than previous Call of Duty instalment Black Ops.

Modern Warfare 3 sold "just under" two million copies - 1.6 per cent less than Black Ops, according to Gfk Chart-Track.

However, Modern Warfare 3 took more money than Black Ops, raking in £83.1 million - 1.5 per cent more.

Combine the money made by Modern Warfare 3 and Black Ops' in their opening weeks, and they total more than the combined opening weekends of all eight Harry Potter films in the UK.

More copies of Modern Warfare 3 were sold on Xbox 360 than on PlayStation 3 - 59 per cent to 41 per cent.

Activision announced that Modern Warfare 3 sold a record breaking 6.5 million copies in the US and UK in one day. Those sales generated $400 million, which made Modern Warfare 3 the biggest entertainment launch - including movies' opening weekends - ever.

Modern Warfare 3's unassailable lead meant RPG Goliath Skyrim settled for a second-place debut. But what a second-place; Skyrim had the fifth biggest opening week of the year (after Modern Warfare 3, FIFA 12, Battlefield 3 and only just behind Gears of War 3). Also, Skyrim more than doubled the opening week tally of Fallout: New Vegas, making it Bethesda's fastest selling game ever.

Xbox 360 claimed a huge retail majority of Skyrim sales, with 59 per cent. Only 26 per cent of shop-bought Skyrim copies were on PS3, and 15 per cent were on PC (digital sales aren't counted).

The launch of two huge titles, plus a chart filled with numerous blockbusters, meant this week was the biggest ever for UK video games. Total take for the week was £120.8 million (you can see how much Modern Warfare 3 dominated).

Uncharted 3 was sixth, followed by Nintendo DS newcomer Moshi Monsters: Moshling Zoo. Moshi Monsters is a massive web-based MMO for kids, in case you're wondering.

Batman: Arkham City, Zumba Fitness and Wii Party rounded out the top 10.