Accounting for second runnings with extras.

I am writing this post in regard to an issue that has come up with Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Gold Edition. Traders have asked if the sales of a new version that contains some new characters should be included with the sales of Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (Xbox 360). This brings a smile to my face as the community has grown to debate the finer points of accounting.

I believe the goal of the simExhcnage stocks are to forecast the demand for a particular game on a particular platform.

If a game was popular enough that the publisher decides to release it again, like a Greatest Hit Edition, or a Game of the Year Edition, or a Gold Edition, that may contain some extras, that the second running be considered the same game as the original published run.

If Bethesda chooses to do what they did with Morrowind on the Xbox and release Oblivion again on the Xbox 360 with Nights of Nine and the armored horse download (all costing a nominal fee on XBL) I believe it would make sense to count the sales of this new version towards the sales of the original stock (though Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox 360) is not listed on the simExchange).

We have already been including Collector's Editions and Director's cuts as part of the game's stock value. I believe this was discussed recently in regard to Persona 3. This is similar to including the sales of DS and DS lite in the Nintendo DS stock. It is unlikely we will ever list a second publishing of a game on the same platform as a separate stock.