New Weekly America Charts - READ THIS THREAD

[albionus]

Avinash_Tyagi said:

albionus said:
I don't mind the inaccuracy inherint in weekly numbers.  Even if the sales are within 20% (or say +- 200k) it still gives you a fairly accurate read of how games and systems are doing.  Zelda:TP sold between 1.4 and 2 million units (or 1.5 and 1.9 million), that still tells you that it's way more than Rayman's 400-600k (300-700k).  Even though over time the error theoretically grows, so long as overall numbers are corrected when more reliable info is released it's not a major problem.  Whatever the error it sure beats having to rely on Microsoft claims that the 360 "sold" 10.4 million by jan 1, 07.  Even if monthly numbers are much more accurate it still doesn't beat having guesstimates every week.                                        

 20% is much too large of a disparity, anything above 10% is probably too large to give any reliable picture of the industry

Of course it's not reliable, hence my inclusion of "so long as overall numbers are corrected when more reliable info is released".   I doubt the real error is outside of 10% but even 20% is close enough to the ballpark to be useful pending eventual correction.  "Even though over time the error theoretically grows" would of course eventually render the figures useless but again reliable info comes out now and then (which as I understand it is how this site operates anyways).  My point was that even at a much greater inaccuracy the benefits of more frequent guestimates still outweighs the cost. 

I forgot to agree with what ioi keeps saying, they are accurate and frequent enough for a free service. Whether or not they are a little off from the exact Wii attach rate or Motorstorm April 1-8th sales can be forgiven.