NPD cutting back on the info they give out for game industry sales

[Queasy]

D'oh

Beginning with the October sales data, which is due later this month, NPD is going to cut way back on what they share on a monthly basis with their non-paying customers, i.e. media.

What does this mean?

For starters, no more hardware sales data. (Can you taste the bitter tears streaming from various forums and message boards?) Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo will of course be free to release their own sales info?and presumably leak that of their competitors, if it'll make them look good?but we will no longer receive that data from NPD. Software sales figures will only be given for the Top Five SKUs, not the Top Ten as we normally receive. We'll eventually receive hardware numbers and Top Ten software numbers, but only on a quarterly and annual basis. There are signs that this may only be a temporary pullback, but for now, this is were things stand.

How will we have fanboy wars if they keep this info from us! 😉

 

[tw1164]

I'm sure there will a be pay service announced soon.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Trying to get media to start paying for the info?

How will we have fanboy wars if they keep this info from us!

Since when did fanbois/gals need any data to troll and flame? 😉

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Trying to get media to start paying for the info?

How will we have fanboy wars if they keep this info from us!

Since when did fanbois/gals need any data to troll and flame? 😉

360 pwnzerz the PS3. Suckit Sony! 😉

 

[warcrow]

I had a feeling that this was going to happen sooner or later. Does really matter though--once 1up, Gamespot or shacknews gets an account and publishes the numbers on the site--it'll be posted everywhere on the web.

Nothing is going to change for the most part.

 

[mlm]

Originally posted by: warcrow
I had a feeling that this was going to happen sooner or later. Does really matter though--once 1up, Gamespot or shacknews gets an account and publishes the numbers on the site--it'll be posted everywhere on the web.

Nothing is going to change for the most part.

Apparently the price is very, very high. I would be surprised if any gaming publication actually picks it up.

 

[warcrow]

How high?

 

[mlm]

I haven't seen anybody say specifically. NeoGAF looked into it, and even if they could afford it, they wouldn't be able to publish the numbers on the site.

 

[Queasy]

Ultimately, the general public will likely have to wait for the game companies to 'leak' numbers out themselves until NPD decides to change their mind.

 

[foghorn67]

Dammit. Hopefully the GRU or the NKVD will come through.

 

[lupi]

So was it Sony or MS that paid them off?

 

[warcrow]

I guess we'll have to wait for some other company to publish the numbers for free and stream in revenues though ads or something.

 

[jpeyton]

vgchartz.com

 

[mlm]

Apparently due to the outcry, NPD has reversed their decision 🙂

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: mlm
Apparently due to the outcry, NPD has reversed their decision 🙂

I can't imagine why they'd care about outcry from people like us who aren't paying for their product, but maybe Nintendo and Microsoft talked them into it. 😛

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: mlm
Apparently due to the outcry, NPD has reversed their decision 🙂

I can't imagine why they'd care about outcry from people like us who aren't paying for their product, but maybe Nintendo and Microsoft talked them into it. 😛

Yep

Last week The NPD Group confirmed that it would be scaling back its monthly video game sales data, especially with regards to hardware because "it used to be policy that NPD not provide hardware sales figures," spokesperson David Riley said at the time.

The NPD had been waiting to hear back from the console manufacturers, and now Riley has informed GameDaily BIZ that the "Big 3" are in fact on board. Therefore the NPD will continue to provide media with the monthly hardware sales tally and GameDaily BIZ will be able to continue to pass those always interesting numbers onto our readers.

Riley told us the NPD would be providing these figures "indefinitely." October's video game data is expected after market close this Thursday (November 15).