UK mags predict Christmas best-sellers: 'Black Ops', 'Fallout', 'Fable III'

(All Rights Reserved)

Future Publishing has polled its staff from tech and gaming titles to find out which twelve console and PC offerings will be this Christmas' most wanted, with Call of Duty: Black Ops topping the chart, followed closely by Fallout: New Vegas and Fable III.

Fourty games journalists were asked to nominate the games they were most looking forward to playing over Christmas 2010, and while Call of Duty: Black Ops heads the list, on the verge of its November 9 release, there's still room for Kirby's Epic Yarn on the Nintendo Wii down in 12th.

While recent reviewer favorites Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and Vanquish also appear, critical hit Enslaved misses out in a chart full of heavy hitters.

Five of the twelve titles are not yet released: Black Ops, Fable III, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Gran Turismo 5 and Rock Band 3 are all due out before the end of the year.

The publisher's panel also drew attention to the launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360 Kinect Sensor with its "revolutionary controller-free gaming and entertainment experience."

Still, there aren't any Kinect-related games marked here as best-sellers, despite the attractions of Kinectimals, Dance Central, and Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows.

The list was compiled with reference to the 2010 Golden Joystick Awards which take place on Friday, October 29, and are also backed by Future Publishing.

The 12 Games of Xmas
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops
2. Fallout: New Vegas
3. Fable 3
4. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
5. DJ Hero 2
6. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
7. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
8. Gran Turismo 5
9. Rock Band 3
10. FIFA 11
11. Vanquish
12. Kirby's Epic Yarn