Sony halts PlayStation 4 pre-orders in some regions

[Shawn Knight]

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.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/53631-sony-halts-playstation-4-pre-orders-in-some-regions.html

 

[TomSEA]

You know, it's funny - it wasn't a year ago that Sony and MS were saying, "there's no need for a next generation console. Sales figures are fine with current consoles. People are happy with what they have."

And now they're having to put a halt to pre-orders of next-gen consoles because they're concerned they won't be able to deliver as ordered because of the demand.

 

[Guest]

Cant wait Day 1 purchases for me. NO shortages please SONY!!!

 

[Jad Chaar]

Hopefully there are no shortages. Sony will deliver! At least I hope .

 

[hahahanoobs]

Next gen consoles are a last ditch effort? Um... ok, if you say so.

Mobile gamers are mobile gamers because they aren't console gamers first and foremost. Mobile sales are up because moms and dads and 15 year old Zack can now play these casual mobile games anywhere, hence the rise in mobile gamers. Have people forgotten that a phone is something everyone has already, and games for them are dirt cheap? I'd really like to meet the people who have said, I'm sick of consoles, and mobile games are just as good so I'm going with that. Especially when you know gaming on phones causes the most serious drain on your battery. The same batteries that have not changed much in the last few years. Which is why you see people playing the least demanding games on the bus or on breaks at work for a few minutes at a time... not hours.

 

[mctommy]

Next gen consoles are a last ditch effort? Um... ok, if you say so.

Mobile gamers are mobile gamers because they aren't console gamers first and foremost. Mobile sales are up because moms and dads and 15 year old Zack can now play these casual mobile games anywhere, hence the rise in mobile gamers. Have people forgotten that a phone is something everyone has already, and games for them are dirt cheap? I'd really like to meet the people who have said, I'm sick of consoles, and mobile games are just as good so I'm going with that. Especially when you know gaming on phones causes the most serious drain on your battery. The same batteries that have not changed much in the last few years. Which is why you see people playing the least demanding games on the bus or on breaks at work for a few minutes at a time... not hours.

Very well stated. Though I don't game as much as I used to, I still play HON on occasion and some Left for Dead 2 here and there. Plus I can't fathom playing FPS on a console, there is quite an advantage in quickness and precision with a mouse and keyboard that the consoles do not have.

 

[lawfer]

This is old news.

For the curious, I have some info regarding Sony/MS. You don't have to believe me, but I thought I'd share. I have an in-law who works for MS. You could call this corporate espionage:

The reason for this block is because Sony wants to allocate enough units inside retail stores for those folks who don't pre-order. This is to prevent customers from picking an Xbox One due to the PS4 being sold out in-stores. Pre-orders will re-open soon (my idea is after their Gamescon press conference in Germany).

Also, sales for the Xbox One soared after the first 180. Internally, MS is very frustrated because of the horrible messaging they did. They "want to make it right" by trying to be more "open", like releasing videos and divulging more in podcasts and social media. Kinect will NOT be removed from the console; it was debated to reduce price, but I hear that that debate didn't last long because the team "truly believes in it." Lastly, numbers when compared to the PS4 are not pretty. Ratio is more like 3:1.

 

[9Nails]

Aww, Sony! You got demand, keep up!

 

[TheDevopsGuy]

I dont know about u guys but I never go for the first day buy I always wait a few months until the console drops in price plus anyways id probably wait for a console update as after a while apperantly the console always becomes lighter and smaller........ my point is going early on the new console technology its just a point of perspective id rather wait for a much more advanced product then the one from the first release.
but I guess alot of people disagree since there's so much sales going on

 

[mctommy]

I dont know about u guys but I never go for the first day buy I always wait a few months until the console drops in price plus anyways id probably wait for a console update as after a while apperantly the console always becomes lighter and smaller........ my point is going early on the new console technology its just a point of perspective id rather wait for a much more advanced product then the one from the first release.
but I guess alot of people disagree since there's so much sales going on

Much more advanced product then the one from the first release? I think that's an overstatement as the next versions of the xbox 360 and the PS3 had some design changes and other changes but I wouldn't label them as "much more advanced."

I haven't done the first day console since the PS2 which I sold 1 for profit to pay for the other 1. I got my xbox 360 from a buddy for xmas in 2011... console gaming is just something I do maybe 3 times a year now, I guess I don't have interest in them anymore.

 

[TheDevopsGuy]

Much more advanced product then the one from the first release? I think that's an overstatement as the next versions of the xbox 360 and the PS3 had some design changes and other changes but I wouldn't label them as "much more advanced."

I haven't done the first day console since the PS2 which I sold 1 for profit to pay for the other 1. I got my xbox 360 from a buddy for xmas in 2011... console gaming is just something I do maybe 3 times a year now, I guess I don't have interest in them anymore.

well its definatly a big difference though I have the first xbox 360 the big white one and do u even know how much space it takes and to move it from one place to another its hard meanwhile the slim is almost 25% slimer and lighter its a whole different story + the new ones come with kinect and 250 gig while mine was withouth kinect and 20 gig if that wasnt a whole new level of technology near the xbox that I own then what is.. remember were talking about consoles not pc I doubt it was an overstatement :S

 

[mctommy]

well its definatly a big difference though I have the first xbox 360 the big white one and do u even know how much space it takes and to move it from one place to another its hard meanwhile the slim is almost 25% slimer and lighter its a whole different story + the new ones come with kinect and 250 gig while mine was withouth kinect and 20 gig if that wasnt a whole new level of technology near the xbox that I own then what is.. remember were talking about consoles not pc I doubt it was an overstatement :S

It is a big difference but the differences are minor in between (just like cars between generations). Xbox 360 began in 2005, the slim didn't appear until 2010... that's a long time to wait for the slimmer version.

It took Sony from 2006 to 2009 to introduce their slimmer model. Then super slim in 2012.

I agree that getting early on the new console is not worth it (only worth it is to scalp them and use that money to pay for yours)... but waiting "a while" is sometimes not worth it for some people... as there will always be something better and smaller just around the corner - it just depends on how far the corner is

 

[yorro]

Even pre-orders get shortages, LOL

 

[TheDevopsGuy]

It is a big difference but the differences are minor in between (just like cars between generations). Xbox 360 began in 2005, the slim didn't appear until 2010... that's a long time to wait for the slimmer version.

It took Sony from 2006 to 2009 to introduce their slimmer model. Then super slim in 2012.

I agree that getting early on the new console is not worth it (only worth it is to scalp them and use that money to pay for yours)... but waiting "a while" is sometimes not worth it for some people... as there will always be something better and smaller just around the corner - it just depends on how far the corner is

point taken it really is true that technology never waits its like an endless cycle of major improvments every year /couple of time