Statistics are all about interpretation - they don't always lie, as the famous quote suggests, but they can easily be manipulated into saying things they're not sure they want to say.
Here, for example, are two very recent stories on the Xbox vs PlayStation face-off, both using similar sources... to make quite different points.
From the Artstechnica feature:
It wouldn't be accurate to say that the sky is falling for Microsoft's one and only gaming console, the 360, but it may be time to look at what the company is doing right... and where it's going wrong. The Sony PlayStation 3 is beginning to chip away at the 360's lead in both software and hardware sales in the US, and that system only seems to be picking up steam. In contrast, the 360 doesn't seem to have much real momentum these days.
From the TG Daily equivalent:
Tokyo (Japan) - Once again, it is an exclusive game title that is the decisive factor in console sales. In this case, it is worth a special note, as the Xbox 360 sold almost three times more units as the PS3 over the course of one week. Nationally and internationally, the Xbox 360 and the PS3 seem to be involved in a dead heat with sales advantages shifting almost every month.
Can't we just agree that there may be no winner this time round - or indeed, ever again? The Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 are all strong enough, and have large enough installed user-bases to keep going. They are all backed by huge multinational companies, they all have their own supporters in the development and publishing sectors. No-one is about to drop out or fade away. Somewhere, there are statistics to prove it.
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