International Media Partner
WITH THIS ISSUE A look at Nintendo’s creative new Art Academy campaign
EVERY BUYER EVERY BRANCH EVERY WEEK Issue 634 Friday April 22nd 2011 £3.25 Digital charts won’t pick up Steam
Valve: Simplifying valuable digital data into a one-off ‘scorecard’ chart would be a step backwards for the market by Rob Crossley
PC KINGPIN Valve has insisted it is not interested in handing over data for a digital games chart.
The Seattle-based studio is thought to control in excess of half the PC download market. The man in charge of its Steam platform told MCVcharting such content is “less useful in the digital space”. Steam distributes over 1,700 games, from blockbusters like Call of Duty: Black Opsto indie titles such as Super Meat Boyand Braid.
Owners of these games are given comprehensive sales data measured to the hour – the immediate impact of a promotional ad
campaign can be studied from the moment it launches. Jason Holtman, who heads up Steam, said in an interview: “The idea of a chart is old. It came from people trying to aggregate disaggregated information. What we provide to partners is much more rapid and perfected information.” Holtman said that
kettling this data into a static ‘scorecard’ would be a backwards step. That’s despite UKIE efforts to deliver the first PC games download chart using UK data pooled by publishers and developers.
“If you look back at the way retail charts have been made, they have been proven to be telling an inaccurate story,” said
It’s not super important for a company to know how well everyone else is doing. Jason Holtman, Valve
“ by Dave Roberts
IN A MOVE loaded with strategic significance, Sony is on the verge of buying digital distribution firm Ztorm.
There is no official
confirmation of the deal as yet, but MCVunderstands that long-running
discussions are on the brink of a successful conclusion.
IN THIS ISSUE
05 MONSTER MANIA UK kids’ gaming and online expert Mind Candy expands with new US office
06 KOCH LEAPS FOR CUBE Rights to ITV’s popular activity-based quiz show signed for new console game
20 EVERY DIGITAL HELPS Tesco offers a provocative take on how to address selling digital content in-store
23 MONTHLY CHARTS We analyse the March market data to find Nintendo and Homefrontsuccesses
53 RETAIL BIZ
Previews of the biggest upcoming titles, including Bethesda’s Brink
Ztorm said it “has no comment on the rumour”. Sony offered no response. Founded in 2006, Ztorm is a Swedish firm specialising in games, movies and audiobooks. It is not consumer facing, but provides API and white label solutions for retailers – chiefly in the Nordic region, including CDON, Discshop, Spaceworld,
Broadpark and MediaNow. In February the firm revealed it had signed on to provide digital distribution for some of the GAME Group’s web stores. Analyst Nick Parker said: “This is a smart move by Sony, acquiring an efficient tried and tested solution with a healthy business track record not laden with a massive capital burden.”
SHOT DOWN: Valve’s made a lack of interest in a digital chart clear
Holtman. “They apparently had shown how the PC format was dying when it was actually thriving.” The irony is that if the
industry had a detailed digital sales chart, such inaccuracies would disappear.
But Holtman suggested it wouldn’t be wise: “The point is, it’s not super
important for a publisher or developer to know how well everyone is doing. What’s important to know is exactly how your game is doing – why it’s climbing and why it’s falling. Your daily sales, your daily swing, your rewards for online campaign number three. That’s what we provide.”
Sony to swoop for download firm Ztorm “
Ztorm provides white label solutions for retailers and works with most major game publishers.
Ztorm already works with most major games publishers, including EA, Activision, Ubisoft, Sega, Take-Two, NCsoft, Warner Bros and Disney. Last month it said it had served over 1m downloads and streams. It is currently owned by, amongst others, the institutional investor Sixth Swedish National Pension Fund.
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