So why do publishers and developers keep the number of games they sold secret?

[Hazar]

I really don't understand their motive... Do they not want to be compared to other games? Do they not want to reveal how much they are making?

Enlighten me.

 

[Asuka]

Im pretty sure everyone releases the numbers sold at one point.

 

[Hazar]

they give rough estiments but nothing specific at all

just something like "over 4 million copies" in the case of half-life 2

 

[Pi Mu Rho]

Sales figures are controlled by a company called NPR, who charge for their services. So if you're paying their hefty fees to get sales figures, you're hardly going to pass them on to the public for free, are you?

 

[Hazar]

national public radio?

 

[sinkoman]

Sales figures are controlled by a company called NPR, who charge for their services. So if you're paying their hefty fees to get sales figures, you're hardly going to pass them on to the public for free, are you?

Isn't that kinda like, a world wide monopoly?

 

[DEATH eVADER]

Isn't that kinda like, a world wide monopoly?

Its all about supply and demand

 

[Gray Fox]

It's a shame

 

[boglito]

Reason:

Publishers do not want people to know which games sell badly. Knowing a game sells badly is highly likely to influence a person's purchase-decision in a negative way. This holds especially true for MP-games but is still valid for all kinds of games.

And, btw, that is not necessarily a bad thing. A game selling poorly is not the same as it being poor.

.bog.

 

[Hazar]

that doesn't explain why games that everyone knows have done very well still keep their number secret.

 

[Greatgat]

Sounds like a publicity thing to me. In the case of HL2, over four million copies sounds better than 'almost five million copies.'

 

[Hazar]

both of thoes are still being rather general

 

[boglito]

that doesn't explain why games that everyone knows have done very well still keep their number secret.

Usually publishers don't "brag" about good sales, because then not bragging would be the same as admitting bad sales. Silence is golden.

.bog.

 

[Remus]

They keep the numbers of games they've soled secret for one simple reason: so they can trick the friendly tax collector .

 

[brink's]

Sales figures are controlled by a company called NPR, who charge for their services. So if you're paying their hefty fees to get sales figures, you're hardly going to pass them on to the public for free, are you?

Can't a Developer tell how many copies they're selling by examining revenue etc?