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mornelithe said:

Ok, so now that you've seen a couple responses from folks more in the know than I, such as Arkaign's reponse (see below).  Does the amount of time it takes for leaks to occur make sense, given NPD is a paid for set of data, and that they can't just give the information out, and why when the information is leaked, it usually starts as total revenue hardware/software, then a pie chart, then your % > < lists etc...?  If they just give it out, these folks will get in trouble, and without them, getting our hands on the numbers would be dramatically more difficult.

"He's not understanding. There are multiple gaffers with explicit access to NPD numbers, but they can't just put them out there in plain text, they have to obfuscate a bit. That's why you see graphs, yes/no answers, etc. 


The final consensus is always solid though, and you would get banned to the moon for lying about the numbers. But instead of "124k" for an item, you might get ">120 and <130" Etc. 

Basically you have a lock within a scant % on everything major on a reliable basis. Some months are extra tough due to the most connected leakers being careful or taking their sweet time with it."

Well, well, well. 

I´ve read the explanation and acknowledge their validity.

Specialy as they only give rounded number (that I prefer) the "true" valor could change at the public bias. That´s why I said "general concensus" and consolidated opinion in NeoGaf.

I don´t have access to old Neogaf threads. But my memory is good.

So, when they said "Almost double" the true number could be off several duzen thousands up and down. It´s not a evil machination or coordenate, but most of the time they "overtrack" the PS4 or "undertrack" the XOne. It´s just their state of mind specialy when MS don´t tell anything and profets of apocalypse go rampant.

This could also explain why Sony is much more quite than they used or ought to be opening that magnificent of a lead. NPD terms could have become harsher with public statements.

In January they openly stated they sould almost double the next closer competitor. According to Neogaf leaks this happened again in April, May and now. Sony also reached the 5mi milestone and opened a 1mi lead.

If all that is true, my theory now is that NPD therms have become more restricted.