Sony has halted PlayStation 4 pre-orders that would guarantee buyers a console on launch day. Big name retailers like Amazon and Toys R Us in the UK have been told to stop taking orders for fear of running out of launch day stock according to a report from The Sun.

Some retailers expect Microsoft to hand down similar orders in the coming weeks but thus far, nothing of the sort has come down the pipe. Neither camp has published a solid release date for when their consoles will launch although Toys R Us may have accidentally let that information slip a few weeks ago when their website posted an available date of November 29 for the Xbox One and December 13 for the PS4.

It's been seven years since Sony released a new console and eight years for Microsoft. Despite some offensive maneuvers from Sony and lots of backtracking from Microsoft, both consoles appear to be doing well in terms of pre-orders. That's good news for both companies although shortages this holiday season from either side could sway undecided buyers one way or the other, or at the very least, result in some negative press.

The video game market as a whole has felt the squeeze from mobile gaming over the past several years and to some, these new consoles are a last-ditch effort to revive the once-thriving console market. Sales of Nintendo's Wii U have fallen flat after less than a year on the market meaning it's now up to Microsoft and Sony.