IGDA partners with NPD Group to bring data and analysis to members

NPD Group, a data analysis firm working in a number of business sectors, has partnered with the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) to provide members access to “actionable insights and analysis of current market trends,” according to a press release.

Game developers who are members of the IGDA will get access to information measured to “quantify sales” and track player preferences and interests. The goal is to help game developers make crucial business decisions linked to “consumer trends and market opportunities” and information from social media platforms and channels. Quarterly webinars from NPD will be available, as well as discounted access to gaming reports. All of this information is expected to “improve marketing and game development” for members, NPD said.

“This partnership with NPD will further the IGDA’s goal of helping game developers maintain successful careers,” IGDA executive director Jen MacLean said in a statement. “The intelligence offered by NPD will enable developers at studios large and small better navigate the business aspects of game development so their companies can weather the storms of our hit-driven industry.”

NPD’s latest report was released just days ago. The monthly report for February found that BioWare’s Anthem was the best-selling game of the month, and the second-largest BioWare launch in the United States. Mass Effect 3, which was released in 2012, holds to top spot.

The IGDA is currently in its 25th year of operation. The non-profit group is dedicated to helping game developers navigate the tumultuous industry. A revamped board of directors for the group was announced this week, with ZeniMax Online Games founder Lucien Parsons taking on a new role as the chair of the board. Under new leadership, IDGA will continue to work for game developers in the industry.

This partnership will give game developers rare insight into where the sales are coming from, what sector growth looks like year-over-year, and more. This could be a step towards the industry slowly peeling back the layers of what makes it tick. Numbers are everything, after all.