The most pirated video games of 2011 (visualized)

We’ll soon be seeing lists of 2011′s best-selling games on each platform. You can expect to see words like Call of Duty: MW3, Battlefield 3, and Batman: Arkham City appearing on that list. But what about the most pirated games of 2011? Will the list look about the same, or will there be surprises?

One thing to note is that data for PS3 games weren’t included on the list. We’re assuming that this is because PS3 games are directly downloaded onto jailbroken systems, and can’t be as easily tracked as torrented games.

Xbox 360

On the Xbox 360, Gears of War 3 took the crown for most pirated game of 2011. The Xbox exclusive was one of the most anticipated games of 2011, and its torrent status reflects that.

It should be little surprise that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the second-most torrented Xbox 360 game of 2011. It will be equally unsurprising that EA’s rival franchise entry Battlefield 3 followed it closely in the number 3 slot:

The Xbox list was rounded up by racing game Forza Motorsport 4 and motion controlled sports gameKinect Sports: Season 2.

Wii

It’s little surprise that a Mario game would be 2011′s most downloaded title on the Wii. Though it was released in 2010, Super Mario Galaxy 2 had the dubious honor of being the most pirated Wii game for the second year in a row.

While having just mediocre sales Mario Sports Mix was the second most torrented Wii game of 2011. The RPG Xenoblade Chronicles came in at number three, followed by Lego Pirates of the Caribbean(how appropriate), and FIFA 12.

PC

If console game pirating is a niche boutique, PC pirating is a booming corporation. While most of the top downloads for the Wii and Xbox 360 number in the thousands, PC downloads are counted in millions upon millions.

If you expected to see the Call of Duty or Battlefield franchises in the number one slot, you’d be wrong. Crysis 2 is the most pirated PC game of 2011. Of course its March release gave it months of a head start, or else one of the military shooters would have easily overtaken it.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 did manage to squeeze into the number two slot, despite being released eight months later than the number one game. Battlefield 3 is once again not far behindActivision’s war shooter, coming in at number three.

FIFA 12 was the fourth most downloaded PC game of 2011. Finishing up the list was Portal 2, with 3,240,000 downloads.

Data via TorrentFreak