gfk-charttrack
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Xbox 360 sales predictably spike in UK after price drop
GfK Chart-Track notes the Xbox 360 had a 43 percent sales increase over the weekend in the UK, following the price drop which sent the console's Elite version to a friendlier £199. With Sony's PS3 Slim model expected to hit the region this week, it'll be interesting to compare the percentage increase in sales for both consoles. We'd prefer actual sales numbers instead of percentages, but that's apparently not happening. To get a good grasp on the actual console sales, post price drop, it appears we'll have to wait for September's US NPD figures, which won't be released until mid-October. At that time, we'll compare them to the August numbers to get a better idea of the price drop's impact. Exciting!
UK developers calling for digital sales transparency
The UK publishing community is asking for sales information from the digital distribution networks, possibly using a service like GfK-ChartTrack to set up a download-only chart. The question is whether Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Valve and others are likely to share that information.To push things along, some developers are revealing sales figures as a sign of solidarity with the new initiative. Developer doublesix announced its PSN game, Burn Zombie Burn, achieved 70,000 sales. Studio honcho James Brooksby said, "We're clearly delighted that Burn Zombie Burn is performing well. ... However, I do wish that all the platform owners would make their digital sales figures public. We feel this lack of transparency is hindering the development of these channels."Considering these digital distribution networks have only really discussed sales rankings up until now, it would usher in a brave new world if they were to start releasing actual sales figures (whether to developers or to the public).Source - Publishers ready for download chart [MCV]Source - doublesix calls for transparency of sales figures [Games Press]
Wii Fit is UK's best seller for 2009 so far
Nintendo is king of the UK retail gaming jungle, according to ELSPA GfK-ChartTrack data. The House of Mario holds the top four spots for titles sold on the isles during the first half of 2009. Wii Fit Wii Play Mario Kart Wii Professor Layton And The Curious Village Killzone 2 Yes, surprisingly, Killzone 2 did take the fifth spot, beating out Resident Evil 5. ELSPA's director states that the figures indicate "gaming is now mainstream in the UK." And that a lot of people in the UK think they (or a loved one) need to lose 10 lbs.[Via VideoGamer]
UK console sales doubled in 2008
A report from UK retailer GAME, citing Gfk-ChartTrack data, reveals that console sales doubled on the islands during 2008. Home console sales hit 10 million units last year, up from 4.7 million the prior year. The current next-gen install base is around 22 million units.Of course, the Wii accounted for nearly half the sales during 2008, with a solid lead at 4.9 million units. The Xbox 360 and PS3 sold 3.2 and 1.9 million units, respectively. Although the Xbox 360 and PS3 should continue growing their install bases in the coming year, a recent report speculates that nearly half of Brits will have a Wii by the end of this year. We'd tell you what that number is, but we (including our very own Brit) always get confused by the differences between Britain, Great Britain, UK and Little Britain.
