PlayStation 3 is "most pre-ordered console yet", says Play.com

[Melchiah]

I decided to open a new thread for this news as the previous thread has gone sour.


Woolsworth isn't the only one anymore, now also Play and Amazon are reporting record pre-orders.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=22810

PlayStation 3 is "most pre-ordered console yet", says Play.com
Retailers reporting "overwhelming demand" - Sony

Online retailer Play.com is taking six times more pre-orders than it received for PlayStation 3 than Xbox 360 - and 15 times more than the Nintendo Wii.

That's according to head of games Gian Luzio, who told GamesIndustry.biz that PS3 is "the most pre-ordered console yet" for Play. The retailer is offering a GBP 524.99 bundle which includes first-party titles MotorStorm, Resistance: Fall of Man and Genji.

Play also ran pre-order schemes for the Wii and Xbox 360, but some customers were left disappointed when they failed to receive their consoles on day one.

"We underestimated the demand and we were very disappointed that we could not fulfil all pre-orders due to stock shortages," admitted Luzio.

However, Play has pledged to deliver all pre-ordered PS3 units on launch day, with Luzio stating, "We have taken the necessary steps to ensure that customers will only be able to pre-order the system up until Play's allocation has been reached.

"We will always want more consoles to satisfy customer demand, however, we are satisfied that Sony are doing all they can to fulfil demand," he added.

Luzio went on to say that the inclusion of a Blu-ray player in the PlayStation 3 will have a "massive impact" on the retailer's business.

"Figures from the USshow that Blu-ray movie sales are outselling HD-DVD by a factor of 2:1 since the launch of PS3 and we have similar sales expectations.

"In addition to the games and movie growth we expect to see a large increase in the sales of 1080p TVs to make full use of the PS3's superior resolution," he concluded.

It's not just Play which is seeing healthy pre-orders for PS3, according to Sony. A spokesperson told GI.biz, "With an unprecedented day one shipment of 1 million machines into Europe and a software catalogue of over 30 titles available at launch, retailer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

"Woolworths, Amazon and Play, to name a few, are reporting record breaking pre-orders and an overwhelming demand for PS3."

The PlayStation 3 will launch in Europe on March 23, priced at GBP 425 / EUR 599 for the 60GB model.

[GBZEUS]

Good news for Sony - I just hope they get enough units to Europe for launch.

[Melchiah]

Good news for Sony - I just hope they get enough units to Europe for launch.

According to NeoGaf there'll be about 1 million units available.

[GBZEUS]

According to NeoGaf there'll be about 1 million units available.

For all of Europe?

I'd expect around 250,000 will be available for the UK (which was pretty much the same as the 360).

People will be dissapointed, once again, proving that pre-orders are pointless except for the initial few.

[sionyboy]

For all of Europe?

I'd expect around 250,000 will be available for the UK (which was pretty much the same as the 360).

People will be dissapointed, once again, proving that pre-orders are pointless except for the initial few.

I've seen the number 220,000 thrown around for the UK in reports I've read, so around that figure seems about right.

I guess most folks will be looking on ebay come 24th March.

[Ruzhyo]

I've seen the number 220,000 thrown around for the UK in reports I've read, so around that figure seems about right.

I guess most folks will be looking on ebay come 24th March.

For those of you in the EU who want one but don't have one preordered, don't buy one off ebay in the first week. Here in the US the prices dropped to near-retail on ebay very quickly.
Just ask KG.

[Melchiah]

For those of you in the EU who want one but don't have one preordered, don't buy one off ebay in the first week. Here in the US the prices dropped to near-retail on ebay very quickly.
Just ask KG.

Surprisingly perhaps I'm one of those who hasn't preordered it, and I'm beginning to think when the launch date comes there won't be any available in the stores. At least in Helsinki, where I live nowadays. At the time of PS2's launch I lived in a smaller town (Vaasa), and I believe it helped me to get PS2 at launch without preordering.

It seems it's the PS2 launch all over again, many stores are selling the units at higher price (680€) than the suggested retail price (600€). I got PS2 six years ago for 500€, but there were stores which sold it for 580€ (mainly some of the larger super market chains). And I'm not willing to pay nearly 100€ extra for some greedy retailer to get the console.[thumbdown]

[zed1138]

The stupidity of the english populace is astounding. Unless they are all for ebay!

So if Sony has said 1m for launch, can we expect around 500k?

[munkieNS]

Good to hear. Europe has always been Sony land, so I'm not too surprised, and if I recall correctly the PS3 is priced about the same as the PS2 was 7 years ago, correct?

1080p TVs to make full use of the PS3's superior resolution

I guess they were referring to Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD? I really hate this PR crap, they are insinuating in that line that the 360 is unable to do 1080p.

[sionyboy]

Good to hear. Europe has always been Sony land, so I'm not too surprised, and if I recall correctly the PS3 is priced about the same as the PS2 was 7 years ago, correct?

Not in the UK, there is a £125 (aprrox $250) difference between the two.

Slightly more difficult to compare to mainland Europe since they've gone with the Euro since the PS2 launched.