PlayStation 3 pre-orders are breaking records in Europe
by Nick Doerr 
{ Feb 14th 2007 at 1:00PM }
Opening with a quote sounds appropriate: "It's the hottest gaming system since the PS2 launched in 2000 - demand will outstrip supply." That's coming from Woolworths head of games, Gerry Berkley. Woolworths is a UK store and that quote should tell you that the PS3 is going to hit Europe and hit it hard. How hard? Well, the estimate is that a PlayStation 3 pre-order is filed every twenty seconds for the past week. If you do the math, Woolworth is facing 3 per minute x 60 minutes in an hour x 24 hours in a day x 7 days per week in pre-orders... sorry for the messy numbers, but it comes out to 30,240 pre-orders!Don't get us wrong -- we know it's a random guesstimation on Woolworths part and couldn't possibly be completely accurate. But if it were, that's the best case (or worst case, depending) scenario Sony and all the European gamers could hope for. A single chain of stores taking in 30,000 pre-orders is nothing to scoff at. Well, enjoy breaking records while you can, PlayStation 3, because you can only break pre-order records before the system is released.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jauz @ Feb 14th 2007 3:36PM
Big deal ... get some games released Sony, and then all those PS3 can actually *do* something.
Tyler @ Feb 14th 2007 2:12PM
just for referance, anyone know how many pre-order's Gamestop took? (pre-ordered mine there)
Kannon @ Feb 15th 2007 11:14AM
You forgot to include the other side of the story.
http://kotaku.com/gaming/ps3/uk-ps3-preorders-a-record-breaker-or-not-236193.php
Digital Spy is reporting that pre-orders for the Playstation 3 in the UK has "broken all records, with high street stalwart Woolworths revealing it has been taking one order every 20 seconds during the past week."
The head of games for the retailer called the console the hottest gaming system since the PS2.
But then you look at Charles Arthur's anecdotal story of PS3 sales in the UK for the Guardian's Gamesblog.
At a local games shop there's a notice suggesting people pre-order their PS3 before March 29, when.. you know.
So how's business, I asked the bloke behind the counter? What sort of interest is there in the PS3 compared to the Xbox 360 and Wii?
Very low, he replied: with, what, six weeks to go before the launch, half their pre-allocation had not been taken up. (Of course you could go glass-half-full and say half had been.) That compared to pretty much all taken up for the Xbox 360 a year ago, and huge over-demand for the Wii before last Christmas.
So what sort of ratio of demand was there between the PS3, Wii and Xbox 360? Demand for the Wii was more than 10x greater than for the PS3, he said, and had been about 5x that of the Xbox. And he personally didn't think any of the PS3 launch games were worth the bother. "Sony has been promising this for two years and people have just got bored with it," he suggested.
Joop @ Feb 14th 2007 3:24PM
Heh, Kotaku's version of this story includes comments by employees who said they still have a lot of preorders left over, even though they've been available for a while...wii and 360 preorders, on the other hand, were maxed out almost immediately.
Or is mentioning numerical statistics considered biased hating now?
RevDev @ Feb 14th 2007 3:59PM
Or you could more realistic math.
lets see 3 per minute * 60 min * 8 hours * 7 days = 10080
I never knew the store was open 24/7 and people were showing up every 20 seconds for 24 hours straight ...
Now given that was probably the RUSH of people that actually wanted a ps3 (probably to ebay) that is actually not impressive at all. I dunno what records the guy was thinking. Or maybe he was hoping it would encourage to come in early and prebook so that he would actually sell through is allocated shipments.. LOL
lol even at rate if they did it for 8 weeks straight and managed to keep that pace its only 80k units still lame.
Dream on fanboys dream on. PS3 like the PSP was DOA.
ben woodrow @ Feb 14th 2007 4:11PM
i bought 1 to sell on ebay although I have never sold anything before and I have no idea how to do it
it
maverick_saturn_626 @ Feb 14th 2007 8:07PM
Hmm, I seemed to think anticipation was pretty high, it has been talked about non stop since xmas by many over here. I think its the price that is a turn off, its not that PS3 isn't liked over here, we aren't like Americans, its that people are waiting, had the PS3 been out during xmas, it would have no doubt been selling better, much better, think those preorders are something? Xmas preorders would have gone through the roof, and had the PS3 been cheaper, going through the roof would have been an understatement.
I already know that everyone I happen to be in contact with wants one, but only a few of the ppl I know have actually prordered, the rest are waiting for a bit.
Wii sold excellently over here, not suprizing, its innovative and cheap, where else can you get that, the 360 sold for these main reasons:
- First and only next gen console out
- Had next gen footy on it
- Hardcore 360 fans wanted it
Had it not been for these things, it would have been slow going over here, I'm quite sure of that. Saying that, lets see how it goes, I haven't preordered mine, I could easily do so tomorrow if I wanted, but I'm one of those ppl sitting on the wall for a bit :) I make up the so called "lack of demand" percentage, or so percieved to be.
matjet @ Feb 14th 2007 8:09PM
thats about 165000 by the time it launches.
mushiking @ Feb 15th 2007 12:48AM
yeah... cause the UK accounts for ALL of Europe.
Max Howell @ Feb 21st 2007 6:17AM
I also am from UK, but unlike maverick saturn, I only know one person who wants a PS3. Almost everyone I know who likes games already has a 360, and plans to get a Wii. hardly anyone seems to care about the PS3, and that's because of the price.
Hillski @ Feb 27th 2007 11:48AM
At RevDev, don't you consider the possibility of on-line orders? Open 24/7 internet?
I recently pre-ordered my PS3 at argos online and is being home delivered at launch but possibly a few days after, and nothing you 360 fanboys can harm how excited I am about it :D. And before you start flaming or making counter fanboy claims. I'm also considering getting a 360 for abit of extra fun/gaming in the not so different future:D
E Avilla @ Mar 22nd 2007 7:22PM
Don't buy a PS3 !!! Sony will lie to you but the PS3 has been blowing out televisions, receivers, satellite receivers, power outlets, etc. Sony has you send it in then say there is nothing wrong with it. Guess what...? Then you are out $2000 grand on your brand new HD TV. Hey, at least they give you another PS3 though. You've been warned. Call 1-866-286-5123 if you don't believe us. Ask for Tony Ferrari, Dan Handa, Frank Feruch or Toma Woo.