DualShock 4

The response to the Xbox One’s unveiling may have been predominantly negative thus far, but data bubbling out of a handful of UK stores shows that Sony’s still going to have its work cut out if it intends to win the impending console war. MCV reports that pre-orders for Microsoft’s next generation machine eclipsed those of the PlayStation 4 within 24 hours of the console being unveiled at some British outlets, potentially indicating that the region is hungry for television, television, sports.

Of course, the snippet means very little in isolation. The publication doesn’t stipulate which chains it contacted or what the numbers are. If a particular branch has only received 10 PS4 pre-orders, for example, it doesn’t really mean much if the same outlet has 12 deposits for the Xbox One. Nevertheless, it is a reminder that online outrage isn’t necessarily indicative of the wider market’s perception.

To be fair, the website added that PS4 pre-orders did spike in the wake of the Xbox One’s reveal, suggesting that some consumers were sitting on the fence until both systems had been announced. In truth, though, it’s unlikely that we’ll get an accurate barometer of either platform’s momentum until long after launch, and even then the results are likely to be skewed by the manufacturers involved.

[source mcvuk.com]