NPD explains monthly information pullback

by Alexander Sliwinski { Nov 6th 2007 at 7:25PM }

The NPD group is providing some answers regarding today's revelation that it would no longer be sharing its monthly video game sales data publicly. GameDaily BIZ spoke with NPD spokesperson David Riley, who explained that the info pullback could very well hinge on what the console makers decide to do.

Riley noted that until November 2006 it was NPD policy not to share data. Following a flood of media requests and some internal conversations -- with no push back from manufacturers -- the data had become an expected part of almost every video game site's monthly news cycle for a year. As long as console makers give the green light, NPD won't have a problem continuing to share the data. What a fantastic situation this puts the console manufacturers in, and what a great opportunity it will provide for spin (more than usual, anyway) when the facts aren't available for counter-spin. There's always a hunger for this data and if the NPD isn't going to give it up, people might just turn to less reputable sources.

Tags: data, npd, pullback

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Spartacus @ Nov 6th 2007 7:31PM

Well it's good to see that the NPD is just trying to respect its clients.

Sucks for the rest of us though. What if 2 out of 3 manufacturers give the green light? Majority vote or release of numbers related to those who agreed?

i_hate_mtv @ Nov 6th 2007 7:39PM

Perhaps this will put an end to the constant fanboy bickering. But on the flip side, it could make things worse.

I hope it's the former.

Mr Khan @ Nov 6th 2007 7:44PM

Worse is more likely, as if they continue denying it, it will be somewhat like this

Story: Microsoft posts new hardware sales, things looking good

Fanboy: "shipped not sold! Waaaambulance!"

GamerG @ Nov 7th 2007 5:43AM

It will be far far worse

Anecdotal evidence FTW

darthpoontang @ Nov 6th 2007 7:39PM

NPD= Controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft is doing poorly and PS3 is doing much much better = Stop reporting console sales. Ace Combat 6 xbox 360 = Failure

gonk @ Nov 6th 2007 7:41PM

lol what

ukickmydog (NDF - Earth) @ Nov 6th 2007 8:07PM

lol, dude what are you smoking? haha

ace combat on 360 is a good game too

DemonGSides @ Nov 6th 2007 8:12PM

HIS LOGIC IS INFALLIBLE.

I think?

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 7th 2007 12:09AM

Well I don't really expect much from a guy who names himself "darthpoontang."

Mr Khan @ Nov 6th 2007 7:41PM

It's an easy one to figure out. They gave the media a free taste, now they want them to pony up

Although the manufacturers could see the free distribution as beneficial for their hype, so we'll see where this ends up

J-Guy @ Nov 6th 2007 7:46PM

Who/What could it hurt to continue releasing information?

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Nov 6th 2007 8:24PM

No one. They just want money. Greedy jerks...

Jouten @ Nov 6th 2007 7:47PM

Too bad for us. I can already see fanboy 'spin' as a result, see Darthpoontang's comment:

"NPD= Controlled by Microsoft. Microsoft is doing poorly and PS3 is doing much much better = Stop reporting console sales. Ace Combat 6 xbox 360 = Failure".

darthpoontang @ Nov 6th 2007 8:03PM

Dude; it's no secret Microsoft is doing poorly. It's a damn shame cause the PS3 is set to outsell everything this holiday. They could very well hit 12-13 million units worldwide by the end of December.

Ludwig Kietzmann @ Nov 6th 2007 8:11PM

I'll have what he's having.

lauren @ Nov 6th 2007 8:28PM

I second that.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 7th 2007 12:13AM

"They could very well hit 12-13 million units worldwide by the end of December."

Guys, I think he's right. With games like R&C4 and Uncharted sony will surely- ahhaahhahahahahahahaahhaah!!!!! Oh my god I don't even know how he was able to say that with a straight face. Man he's got to be joking, seriously he has to be.

albinogoldfish @ Nov 6th 2007 7:50PM

So I guess we'll just have to start basing our opinions of consoles on the games that come out and not how many are sold...this sucks

Rubang B (BRUSH WITH FAME) @ Nov 6th 2007 8:45PM

Yeah, seriously. I mean, nobody ever REALLY liked Nintendo until the Wii sold this well, right?

albinogoldfish @ Nov 7th 2007 3:48PM

hah, that might a joke, but people certainly started wondering what was wrong with the 360 when sales began to stagnate at around 10 mil though

Airen @ Nov 6th 2007 8:01PM

"people might just turn to less reputable sources."

You mean VGChartz, right?

Crono (NDF - Knight of the Old School) @ Nov 7th 2007 8:59AM

The only thing that makes VGChartz less reputable is the fact that they haven't been around as long, and they don't charge thousands of dollars for their data, and they only track one industry: Video Game console hardware and software sales.

Their methods of determining their data is virtually identical on the surface: gather data from who you can, develop an algorithm to extrapolate data you can't gather (wal-mart, etc), and viola: Sales numbers that are within a tight margin of error of the "reputable" source.

Shattercross @ Nov 6th 2007 8:13PM

It's gonna be weird not seeing NPD data everywhere, I'm so used to seeing it in all the gaming magazines I subscribe to as well as the internet.

Btw, I agree that this won't do anything to lesson the flamewars- if people have a bone to pick, they're gonna pick it regardless of the absence of facts.

Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Nov 7th 2007 5:18AM

Flamewars are OK to me. Especially if they send a right message to console manufacturers and game developers.

While PC gaming industry is wide open since dawn of ages, console market is highly secretive with few big companies controlling literally everything.

For PC, it takes one good idea and some spare time to make a new game: tools are free as are distribution channels (== Internet).

For consoles... well you know the story.

My feeling was that console and games sale figures were important by trying to kind'a unite gamers. Something like that. Flamewars are nothing but simple communication in strictly polarized game market.

darthpoontang @ Nov 6th 2007 8:23PM

Why couldn't the NPD decide to do this when Halo 3 was released?

They all of a sudden decide to do it when the 40GB 399.00 PS3 enters the race and is going to make a huge impact on console sales worldwide.

Coincidence?

Donald @ Nov 6th 2007 8:39PM

Seconded

Rubang B (BRUSH WITH FAME) @ Nov 6th 2007 8:54PM

If that's true, gonk just convinced me to buy a PS3.

And there's only one way to find out!

Synner @ Nov 6th 2007 9:02PM

Jesus christ give it a fucking rest. You are either:

Kill jebus
Shagi
Konny
Lawrence
or one of the other PS3tards posting under a different identity. We get it you like playstation.

But please elaborate on how you thing NPD and MS are affiliated.

darthpoontang @ Nov 6th 2007 9:15PM

Hey man; I'm just saying! When the PS3 is hittin hard NPD all of a sudden wants to hold back data. 360 hasn't even sold half of what they sold in their first year this year. Weren't they supposed to have sold 15 or 20 mill by now? NPD not reporting is a godsend for MS and bad timing for Sony once again.

jake11 @ Nov 6th 2007 9:33PM

you should do stand up comedy darth

dsub @ Nov 6th 2007 10:07PM

darthpoontang.

The 40GB PS3 has been out for a week now. In that period of time we've sold 2 at the gamestop I work at. Those are the only 2 PS3's we've sold at all in the past week. Meanwhile I watched a shipment of 9 Wii's walk out the door as fast as they came in today, and I've been selling on average 2-3 360's per day since Halo 3 and the Arcade Pack have come out.

Not sure about the rest of NA, but in my neck of the woods, selling a PS3 is one the most uncommon events around.

dsub @ Nov 6th 2007 10:12PM

the 360 is coming off of it's biggest month ever in September, thanks to GOOD GAMES.

A price drop from Sony on a gimped PS3 doesn't mean jack shit if the best game to put in the damn thing came out at Launch. Maybe Assassin's Creed/COD4 will help Sony a little bit, but face it. The $400 PS3 is nothing but a desperate response to horrid sales, only Sony won't have any games to back it up until 2008. I'm not trying to sound like a fanboy, just trying to be honest. NPD data or not, the 360 and Wii will still be on top in October/November. I'd put my money on that any day.

Sentry Gun (Jesus) @ Nov 6th 2007 8:27PM

Don't worry, we still have Japanese sales to look forward to.
*cries in the corner of the room*

dsub @ Nov 6th 2007 10:02PM

Could this have anything to do with Sony getting tired of all the bad press every month when the PS3 gets squashed by the Wii/360 in sales?

Think about it, we as american's are inclined to buy what is selling the best, because in most cases it's an indication of which is the best product. Why do you think so many companies use the #1 selling line in advertisements. Everytime NPD releases these numbers, it's basically free advertising for MS/Nintendo. I'm sure they enjoy the NPD reports being public, because they always show the public their domincance in sales as of late, meanwhile all they ever show in regards to Sony is that the PS3 is being outsold month in/month out.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 7th 2007 12:15AM

hmmm....

That actually makes sense....

GTFO.

Dustin @ Nov 7th 2007 2:09AM

Actually I think the interesting thing will be if NPD decides to elaborate on the console manufacturer's decision to support free publishing of the data or not.

NPD: "Microsoft and Nintendo agreed to collaborate on sales figure release, but Sony resigned on the idea..."