Zucas on 14 March 2008
| ioi said: The thing is that we are not "consistently" over or undertracking something, this is two months. Have you looked back over the last year or two? Over time, the data evens out. If we suddenly start adding 10% to all our PS3 figures arbitrarily to "match" NPD then we could end up 20% higher next month or something and just keep yo-yoing back and forth. I have confidence in our data over time and monthly discrepancies do and will even out. The only reason a thread exists about this is because people are making such a huge deal about PS3 vs 360 (which of course I understand) and are claiming a 30k difference here or there is suddenly a victory. As I stated before, within all margins of error things are essentially tied or tipped slightly in favour of 360 (according to us) and PS3 (NPD) but not by enough to be conclusive either way. We don't moan like this about DS sales every month or PSP sales. I understand there is a lot of significance being put on these numbers at the moment but what I am trying to say is that there isn't a clear "winner" one way or another. The reason we have 360 higher than NPD is because that is how our samples work out - calibrated to shipment and other estimated sell-through info. This happens to put 360 higher than NPD are which is just how it is. It is not a bias or an inaccuracy, simply that historical calibration between the data we get and data we use for reference positions us higher than NPD in this case. There have been many months where NPD have been a lot higher than us on Xbox360 numbers, it is just a manifestation of these margins of errors and differences in marketshare estimations that exist. It is not some conspiracy against Sony, guys. Sorry to disappoint. The comment of Microsoft "supporting" NPD. They have no choice. It amazes me that companies release their PR at all - this doesn't happen in any other country as far as I am aware. I think the combination of monthly figures, the way NPD guard it all and America being the biggest market in the world make it a huge focus. I’m not entirely sure when commenting publically on NPD first started or who started it (fairly recently) but the “in thing” at the moment is to release their articles and it is all part of the pr game. MS released a statement saying they expected to be behind PS3 because they get NPD data much earlier than it is released to the public and they wanted to pre-empt it with a counter statement explaining shortages. Simple as that. Speaking to people at MS, Sony, Nintendo – as we have – many have less faith than you’d think in the accuracy of NPD figures but until there is an alternative they have no option but to accept it and comment on it with their spin – it is all just a marketing exercise for shareholders and investors. |
This post is full of ownage haha. Congrats haha. Making the lunatic fanboys be quite for a moment.
