NPD reconsiders limiting hardware sales data

The NPD Group has reconsidered last week's decision to limit videogame hardware sales figures.

According to a GameSpot article, NPD has received approval from Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo to continue providing hardware sales figures as part of its monthly industry sales update.

Last week, the company said it would no longer provide such data for mass dissemination, although it would still provide the figures to subscribers. It noted that, when it first began to supply hardware figures in November 2006, the arrangement was intended to be temporary.

"In retrospect, I guess I took certain things for granted and was surprised at the response," said the NPD's David Riley.

NPD now plans to make hardware sales figures a permanent part of its regularly updated data.