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r505Matt on 09 April 2010
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thismeintiel said:

After looking at their site, I have no reason to not believe this survey they have conducted.  In 8 years they have become one of the top 25 trackers in the world (#24 to be exact). In fact, their weekly surveys remind me of the weekly political polls conducted here in the US. Everyone seems to qoute them all the time without questioning their exact methods. In fact, I know of no tracking site/service that releases their exact sources and methods. What would be the point? Then anyone could do it themselves. They always just release a general, one sentence explanation about their survey. Oh, something like "OXT’s GamePlan weekly tracking study surveys 1,000 U.S. gamers and buyers including hardcore gamers, casual gamers and everyone in between."

I find it ridiculous that people on a tracking site that does the exact same thing wish to criticize another tracking site. Maybe the survey is saying something people don't like. Something makes me believe that if PS3 was switched with 360 or Wii, and the game was Halo Reach or SMG2, there would be a different response. More in the line of "Awesome, that game is going to sell tons of 360's/Wii's!"

Research studies =/= sales tracking. They offer studies into buyers' habits, so their clients can effectively market and plan for release dates and such. That is NOT the same as sales tracking at all, and if they want to keep it all behind closed doors, that's all well and good. But if a study surfaces (not a sales tracking estimate) like this study, and just gives a conclusion, then the validity of that study is suspicious.

If they said "The study was done by asking participants if they planned to buy GT5, and if so, if they already owned a PS3. 39% of those that responded yes to the first query responded no to the second." Now maybe the study was done differently, but the exclusion of such an explanation makes me feel like there is something to hide, and makes me think the study is not truthful. There are false studies EVERYWHERE, and hiding simple information is a great way to earn mistrust.