We must act NOW to fix digital chart crisis

The games industry needs to get its act together and be more open about digital sales.This is not a warning from senior trade figures, but a warning from MCV itself.

For too long, we have reported on the dawning of a new digital chart.UKIE is working tirelessly to create the first chart that the industry desperately needs. The first one is close.

But a chart alone is not enough.The games industry must embrace an openness about sales numbers for the sake of its reputation AND its health.

The latest reports from chart trackers show that the games market is in decline.The headlines these spark deter investors, making it difficult for studios to find profitable areas of business and putting off students from starting a career in games.

But the ‘official’ stats don’t reflect the market’s health.Booming browser, mobile and downloadable sectors are still unacknowledged.

In music and movies, download numbers are part of the mix. Those markets have got over their arrogance and are sharing data.Games firms must follow suit. Doing otherwise is a deep-rooted issue that needs to be squashed out.

UKIE has called on digital firms to join its group and contribute – and you MUST listen to them. If you haven’t yet, then why not?Do you want games to be constantly tarnished by the unpredictable fortunes of boxed products?Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, Steam – you are not excluded from this. Silence is no good anymore. It is not 21st Century thinking.

Maybe these companies have something to hide, maybe they fear what sharing this data will do.But if that’s the case, they have no place in video games’ future. Only the digital pioneers will be remembered for driving this industry’s future. The question is: Are you one of them?