Preorders for core Xbox 360 games prior to the launch of Xbox One may be ahead of PlayStation 4 numbers, but figures suggest that Sony’s console is set to gain a considerable early software lead on its next-gen rival.
According to preorder statistics gathered by VG Chartz, Xbox 360 is ahead in terms of preorders for most of this year’s remaining triple-A games on current-gen consoles.
While 470,000 gamers have pre-ordered Grand Theft Auto V on Xbox 360, for example, 402,000 will be snapping up the PS3 version. It’s a similar story across the board, with the Xbox 360 versions of Call Of Duty: Ghosts, Battlefield 4, and Splinter Cell: Blacklist all leading their PS3 counterparts in terms of units preordered.
If we look at the Xbox One and PS4 statistics, though, Sony’s console is leading the way by most margins. Battlefield 4 on PS4, for example, has 70,000 pre-orders while the Xbox One version has racked up just 30,000. Similarly, Call of Duty: Ghosts has 66,000 preorders on PS4 and only 45,000 on Xbox One. Watch Dogs shows the biggest gap, with 80,000 PS4 preorders and less than 30,000 for the Xbox One version, which isn’t even in the top 40. In fact, there’s only two Xbox One games in the top 40, while Sony has four, including PS4 exclusive Killzone: Shadow Fall.
The figure on the far right shows estimated current preorders for three core PS4 games
The major marketing campaigns for both consoles have yet to begin in full, but early signs, including UK retailers cutting off preorders to prevent shortages, point to Sony obliterating the opposition at launch in terms of hardware and software sales.
Release dates for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have yet to be confirmed, but both are expected to hit shelves around November.