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UKIE to launch PC digital chart, but lacking numbers from the big players
| Date Posted | Author |
|---|---|
| 25th January 2012 | Matt Bailey |
Whenever we talk about the UKIE all-format charts here on the site we're always referring to retail sales only - that is, games on discs bought in shops or online. This is because the UK trade body and its charts-compiling partner Gfk Chart-Track have lacked the numbers from publishers and digital retailers. But now they're planning counter this with a new PC digital chart from next month.
The companies helping out the UKIE in putting together the new list include Disney Interactive, Focus, Get Games, Green Man Gaming, Mastertronic, NCsoft, SEGA, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. and "other top PC game publishers and digital distributors". Noticably missing from that list, however, is the support of the top digital retailers, including GamersGate, GameStop's Impulse, Good Old Games, and of course, Steam. While the publishers mentioned above will likely include their sales numbers from those services, it still leaves us with a rather limited picture. EA and their Origin service are also missing, as is juggernaut Activision Blizzard. Indie games will be particularly left out unless deals are made with the big sellers of their games.
Acknowledging this, the UKIE is launching the chart next month as a "public beta", echoing the way many games launch their new services. This presumably gives the service a chance to establish itself and hopefully court some more providers of data. The UKIE has gone as far as to welcome data from every seller or publisher, even if they are not members of the trade body. It also promises that in addition tot he basic chart which will be made public, any company who contributes their data to the chart will also be able to view more detailed numbers of the PC download market as a whole.
In addition to improving the new PC download chart over the coming months the UKIE is also working on producing charts for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network downloads, presumably with the co-operation of Microsoft and Sony.
