They're not made up. They're similar numbers because they're both based on retail data. VGChartz data is often out before the release of either tracker. There are key discrepancies in some areas though, most weeks, that show VGChartz making different assumptions or weighting data differently. This shows it is independent. Often VGChartz is proven right rather than the other trackers when official publisher data comes out.

Since Famitsu and MC are based on secondary (retail sample) data, they are no more official than VGChartz. Sometimes they aren't even as accurate as VGChartz. I find it impressive that such a small team working (almost) for free can come as close to the true figure as large statistics firms.

And how would you explain the top 200?

Or all the game sales for their 20th and 30th week outside of the top 30, 50, 100, 200, etc.

If there's any inaccuracy/discrepancy, its with Media Create. I've been suspicious of their number accuracy since last year's fluctuations.

And your suggestion is what? We fake our numbers to make them different? We post them a week later?

If you ask a dozen people what 2 + 2 equals and they all say 4, it doesn't mean they're all copying off each other.

What you say makes no sense because you are just insinuating without any direct evidence.

Just like so many members pointed out the numbers actually make sense and thats what is important.

For you to jump to such a final conclusion without any real proof is just immature.

So you are starting accusations without any solid proof? Is it because you wii wii is losing ground in Japan.

We can say all regions are dishonest where our lovely console is losing ground. besides, if you have been following up recently, the numbers are not close as you claim.

Last week, Wii was around 13,000 and this week around 19,000

Last week PS3 was 60,000 and this week it is around 22,000

So wait, when VGC does use trusted sources people whine

And when VGC dont use trusted sources, people STILL whine

Silly really = S

If you're right, then I would like to thank this site for compiling all the MC/Famitsu data in one easy-to-read place.If you're wrong, then the data's home-grown and as good as we're going to get.

I win either way.

A lot of people responding to this thread seem to be confusing “dishonest” with “inaccurate”. Perhaps I should make my original point – and the basis for it – clearer.

I am not for one moment suggesting that VGC’s Japan numbers are particularly inaccurate. My speculation (and those that say I have no real evidence [other than circumstantial] for it are right – that is often the nature of speculation) was that it may be dishonest for VGC to present such numbers as independently obtained, as it seems they could just be based on Famitsu and Media Create’s data. The reason for such speculation was that VGC’s Japan numbers always come out after Famitsu and MC publish without ever varying much from them. Many have said that this is because VGC’s independently obtained numbers must be accurate, and while that is a possibility, it strikes me as statistically unlikely: if different researchers use different sample sources of different sizes, we would expect to see quite different results at least some of the time. We see this in the discrepancies between NPD and VGC figures for the US. That we don’t ever see them with Japan’s figures is what makes me suspicious.

Now if VGC were to start publishing their Japan numbers before Famitsu and MC, I would of course have to eat humble pie. Though I doubt in such a scenario we would still see such closely matching figures.

I don't doubt the numbers at all because I remember when they were published earlier, but I do think that VGChartz should put up the numbers before both Famitsu and Media create do.

I do feel like VGChartz has this "Whatever is the number between Famitsu and Media Create is VGChartz numbers this week" kind of vibe going on lately.

Wii vs PS3 in Japan has been posted about every week, with everyone wondering when Wii will inevitably come out on top again. For pretty much every single week people have been watching the Japan sales threads like BKK2(sp? sorry) makes and everyone pretty much comes to their conclusion on VGChartz numbers once they get MC and Famitsu and it is pretty much always spot on.