Why devs need digital charts

A new collaborative UK games industry digital chart will help developers identify opportunities in the market.

The new charts were announced last week, and will be put together by trade body UKIE, analytics firm Reflection, and New York-based SuperData, according to MCV.

SuperData CEO Joost van Dreunen told Develop more about why these new digital charts will benefit developers.

“From a pure data perspective, the digital games market is far more fragmented and additional data helps to improve accuracy,” he said.

“Sharing this data allows game makers to draw systemic learnings from each other, rather than having a handful of anecdotes determine the sustainability of their efforts. While they may not advertise it, many of the successful indies are extremely numbers-driven. It is this process of rationalisation that lies at the centre of our current effort.

“When you want to become a writer, they tell you to read. The same applies to game developers. Of course, you play each others games, but rankings also tell you what audiences want. In any creative industry, having a sense of what else is out there provides a competitive edge, can help make the argument when raising money, and allows you to spot trends and opportunities early on.”