UKIE sells stake in Chart-Track

UK trade body UKIE has sold its stake in charts body GfK Chart-Track – but still has a deal for exclusive access to its data.

The organisation’s 20 per cent has been sold to GfK, which already had the majority ownership of Chart-Track since 2008.

UKIE this afternoon told MCV it will use the funds from the sale to fuel its work in other areas such as its recent victory supporting the NextGen skills campaign, industry support as part of its recently widened remit, and matters like IP.

Plus, it gives UKIE more funds to bring its own digital charts to fruition.

The association rebranded to UKIE from ELSPA over a year ago to prove it could serve a bigger industry beyond the core publishing business. As ELSPA, the organisation had a big hand in Chart-Track’s funding and existence.

Today, UKIE will still be the only source for access to the established Chart-Track data and the ‘UK games charts’, thanks to a new five year exclusivity deal.

That deal covers the weekly Monday morning boxed product charts, plus the regular monthly, quarterly and annual reports made up from that data. Member access to the data will be cheaper, too, the organisation says.

Likewise, GfK Chart-Track will have increased independence in how it uses the data it collates, and is able to use it in more of its own bigger pan-European reports without UKIE approval.

It will also start charging direct for bespoke reports commissioned by publishers.

In an official announcement about the deal, Jo Twist, CEO of UKIE commented: We are delighted to continue our close relationship with GfK Chart Track. Their sales reports are vitally important to the games industry and we look forward to continuing to deliver them to our members and the market as a whole.”

Meanwhile John Pinder, MD of GfK Chart Track added: UKIE were there at the start when GfK Chart Track was established and our relationship has been strengthened over the years.

"Our new agreement ensures that this relationship will continue and the purchase of UKIE’s shares by GfK UK Entertainments will not alter the high level of service that we offer UKIE or to the quality of the charts and reports supplied to the games industry.”