Mike_intell my point is don't change any numbers at all. Stop changing them. How can he claim Germany's numbers are more accurate then his and then claim NPDs are not.

Just stop shifting numbers and go by his samples.

Check out the 360 at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Pro-Value-Bundle/dp/B000W91YTA/ref=pd_ts_vg_49?ie=UTF8&s=videogames

It's going for $417.90, when the suggested retail is $349.00...hmmm...this is at Amazon, so all those saying no shortage exist, why in the heck would these guys be able to charge $70 over MSRP?

Clearly there are shortages of certain models.  Looks to me like MS badly misjudged the demand split across models or deliberately pushed out more Arcades in the mistaken belief they were going to sell like Nintendo Wiis.  So right now there's plenty of the model people don't want to buy available, with not enough of the models they do want to buy in stock.

As for PS3 I believe we're seeing the first influence of format war coming to an end in BR's favour.  If I'm right then with the Walmart announcement it'll be even more obvious soon.  Nothing else seems to have changed enough to explain higher than expected sales otherwise unless DMC4 helped shift consoles, but that doesn't seem likely IMO.

Either way unless NPD makes a pretty public reversal at some point (which is unlikely) so far as the games industry is concerned those are the results for January and they are a surprise.

But it's hardly the gaming companie's policy to openly dispute NPD data, since they're buyng their service. Also that would seriously hurt NPD's credibility and their business if big players like MS and Sony would criticize their data in public, so I think they're avoiding that. 

I totally messed that up... I was attempting to write that response in the middle of computer science class, while also trying to listen to the professor. And it didn't work.

And 65k NPD No More Heroes to 68k on VGChartz is spot on, don't quite know where you got 10% overtracked, it's more like 5%... which is very close.

@Pooper
If you have a source of data -- reliable and trustable data -- then you make a change. Right now, the NPD has too many questions to be considered reliable and trustable. The idea is to get it right -- that's why you make changes.

@MikeB
Why is NPD considered to be better when they don't track Wal-Mart and Toys R Us? (I use MikeB here only because he was the most recent one to say NPD is better. But others have said the same thing).

Mike from Morgantown

You think Vgchartz does get all Wal-Mart data?

If this site ignores NPD data it will become a joke everywhere.

Vgchartz do not track Walmart or TRU to my knowledge. Either way, the point is moot, TheSource already confirmed that NPD have more sources for their data than Vgchartz. If Vgchartz try and put forward that they are more accurate than NPD they will fast become the joke of the internet. That is not a very wise step.

They have a far bigger workforce employing fulltime professionals (work experience, relevant education and required connections) far bigger sample sizes, their accuracy directly affects their business, etc.

VGChartz AFAIR ackowledges NPD data should be considered to be more accurate. VGChartz is striving to get as close as possible to NPD data.

However there is hope even when dealing with smaller samples you can extrapolate inaccuracies to modify this data you're working with, inaccuracy can for example occur due to this small sample of stores putting more effort into marketing certain products over other products.

Good tracking on NMH and Uncharted. I thought BP PS3 was a little low.

Other than the obvious, good job ioi.