We love sales data. We regularly cite NPD Group, Chart Track, Enterbrain and Media Create figures, but rarely, if ever put stock in amateur sales estimation outlet VGChartz. It’s not just our aversion to plurals that end with Z, it’s that the methodology, the educated guesses that lead the site to conclude that, say, Metal Gear Solid 4 sold 1.3 million copies on day one, don’t instill much confidence.
NPD’s decision to re-yank the public availability of their hardware numbers has upset people. Like me! All morning I’ve tasted naught but salt as tears flowed, unchecked, down my sullen cheeks. It’s upset a lot of other people too. Where will trolling fanboys, for example, get their monthly dosage of troll juice? Other more sensible types will wonder just why simple figures like sales data, which are readily and freely available for almost every major product/medium, are being restricted. All of which is news to NPD! PR representative David Riley: I had no idea this would be so ill-received. Honestly, I know this sounds ignorant but I really was taken aback when I started hearing/reading about this. It was unexpected.
So they had no idea the restriction of information would upset people. Amazing! Almost as amazing as the tirade Riley then launches into against what can only be popular sales-forecasting website VGChartz.
