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Dodece:

"Microsoft has the official numbers, and this site only offers up a estimation. The truth of the matter is this. Microsoft pays for professional tracking, and has official sales data from the retailers themselves when no third party tracking service is available to do the grunt work. They simply have the better data. Anyone implying otherwise is just simply deluding themselves.

Please understand that I think what this site is trying to accomplish in extrapolating sales is admirable, but having any kind of blind faith in them is foolhardy. Given that they are likely based on fairly limited insider information, and that there aren't anything approaching reputable tracking services in many regions where consoles are being sold. Which means there are huge gaps in this sites data. You can't just make generic assumptions especially when it comes to emerging markets.

The truth is Microsoft is probably right, and they did sell the most consoles during the past year. The difference as far as this site is concerned are probably to be found in Mexico and Brazil. Microsoft didn't make a point of talking about Mexico during their press conference for nothing, and Brazil is one of the fasting growing economies in the entire world. Prosperity is on the rise in these regions, and more discretionary income means that console sales are improving there.

Not only improving, but probably improving far more to Microsoft's benefit then to their rivals. Since the market in the United States which leans heavily for the 360 is likely to have more of a influence in those markets. Then say the Markets in Europe or Asia. Just as a matter of deductive logic the social bonds are probably stronger in that direction. A consumer in Mexico is far more likely to know many people in the United States then any other place in the world. The same probably holds true for Brazil, but to a lesser extent.

Anyway they are probably spot on in their analysis, and instead of getting indignant, defensive, or slanderous. You know it couldn't hurt to have a little humility. There is always room for improvement, and that won't happen if the first assumption is they are wrong, and this site can only be right. Which I assure you is rarely the case. This site is known for missing the mark by a good margin from time to time. Part of what makes this site good is that it does own up to its shortcomings and corrects as better data is made available.

Personally I will consider it a official pronouncement until it is contested by the competition, or Microsoft makes it a point to clarify their statement. Which honestly shouldn't take long one way or the other. If it is true I think it could make things interesting around here. This isn't just a console wars kind of thing. It might get the powers to be to bring back the graphs. I really want to see how the sales are breaking down. Not just for emerging markets, but say the markets in Europe, and how they may be responding to economic concerns."



Totally agreed.