Gamers are awaiting the arrival of Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4 with great anticipation, it seems. Game developer Ubisoft says that pre-orders are “double” those recorded during the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 launches.

Xbox One & PlayStation 4 see strong pre-orders
Almost 8 years have passed since the Xbox 360 launch and 7 years since the PlayStation 3 launch. The new generations of game consoles are expected in a few months’ time and the pre-order window has been open for several weeks now.

Microsoft says that pre-orders for the new Xbox One are higher than those for the Xbox 360. Xbox One is already sold out at most US retailers. A report also claims that Microsoft saw a big jump in pre-orders after they removed restrictions on used games.


Sony has yet to speak on the matter but game developer Ubisoft says that both Microsoft and Sony are seeing twice as many pre-orders compared to the previous generation of the game consoles, and they expect the game console market to see a boost during the Holiday period. Ubisoft also says that Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch Dogs are amongst the five most pre-ordered games right now.

The console game market has taken a nosedive in recent years, and game revenue has been steadily falling. Market observers doubt that the new generation of game consoles will enjoy the same level of success as the current generation due to more people enjoying games on tablets and smartphones. Nintendo was first to launch a next-generation game console with the Wii U but is has had a rough start.

Although some retailers have ceased taking new pre-orders some still accept orders, including Amazon. In the US, PlayStation 4 is available for $399 and Xbox One is available for $499. In UK, the PlayStation 4 sells for Ł350 and the Xbox One sells for Ł430.

Both consoles are expected to launch in November.