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Ah, the power of the internet where information passes through like a giant game of “Telephone.” Articles have been circulating with reports by reputable research company, NPD Group, declaring that the Xbox 360 was the big seller this season. That would be especially great news for Microsoft if today was January 11, 2007, which is when NPD has planned to release their December/Year-End video game sales report. (Insert your own Homer Simpson style “Doh!” sound effect here.)

The information was derived from a comment made in an interview by an analyst from the marketing firm, IDC, and CNBC’s mis-attribution of a sales chart and figures. NPD had provided CNBC with November 2006 console hardware install base sales figures but no figures for December 2006.

A few sites have already corrected the error, appropriately attributing IDC instead of NPD, but the message has already circulated. Heck, we’re even a bit guilty of the oversight but not everyone is privy to NPD’s reporting schedule. So the information is sorta correct, at least as far as IDC is concerned. As for NPD, we’ll find out next week.

Site [NPD] Read [GameSpot] Read [GameDaily] Site [IDC]