UKIE trade body trials PC download chart

UKIE, the trade association for UK Interactive Entertainment, will launch a PC download chart (in Beta form) this February. It looks like the chart will be run on an ‘opt in’ basis, with UKIE calling for any interested publishers and distributors to contact its commercial manager Sam Collins.
The current list of participants isn’t too bad, as it includes Disney Interactive Studios, Focus Multimedia, Get Games, Green Man Gaming, Mastertronic, NCsoft, Sega, Square-Enix, Ubisoft, Warner Bros; but one major platform is notably absent. UKIE does mention that “other top PC game publishers and digital distributors” are involved, but it’s fair to say that if Steam was on board with this project the company that dominates PC digital sales would be in the main list.
Valve rarely seems to release sales figures from Steam (when we learn about them, it’s usually through developers), so it’s not too surprising to find them not taking part. However, it may rather undermine any serious attempt to chart digital sales.
The trade body says it “will be improving the UKIE PC Download Chart over the coming months”, so perhaps there’s still hope. There’s no doubt that an accurate, comprehensive digital download chart would be a useful thing to have.