NPD Acquires Digital Entertainment Tracker In-Stat

Port Washington, NY-based NPD Group said Friday it acquired digital entertainment and mobile internet market research firm In-Stat. The acquisition comes as NPD continues its efforts to complement its U.S. video game retail sales tracking data with digital sales data. Digital sales have become an important factor in the games industry, as digital distribution, subscriptions and microtransactions gain traction on consoles, PC and mobiles. NPD said In-Stat will operate in conjunction with mobile PC tracking firm DisplaySearch, which is also an NPD subsidiary. NPD's video game tracking arm has come under criticism as of late from video game publishers, which are transitioning their business models to include an increasing amount of digitally-derived revenue. Earlier this month, major publisher Electronic Arts, which is making increasing investments in social and online gaming, called NPD data "a misrepresentation of the entire industry." NPD didn't state specifically how In-Stat will aid in video game sales tracking, but previous In-Stat reports have covered mobile gaming, downloadable games, gaming hardware and in-game ads. In-Stat will keep its name, NPD said. "With the acquisition of In-Stat, NPD is offering unique information on the intersection of hardware, content, and distribution," said NPD's Tim Bush, general manager of the company's Technology Analyst Business.