Xbox One & PS4 Shortages at Launch?

Gamers should expect shortages of next-generation consoles Xbox One and PlayStation 4 at launch, amid high demand and the difficulty of coordinating the launches, analysts believe.

Robert W. Baird’s Colin Sebastian told GameSpot that it will be impossible for retailers to satisfy all their customers from day one and underlined that console manufacturers did their best to allocate a limited number of pre-sale units for retail. But Xbox One, PS4 shortages are very likely to become fact, he insisted.

However, even if the supply for both consoles is expected to be constrained, Xbox is largely believed to have the upper hand at launch, Sebastian explained. The analyst said Microsoft’s new console may actually have 2 to 3 times more units available when it launches in November, which will give it a significant advantage over Sony’s PlayStation 4.

It can be said that the Xbox One got off on the wrong foot, as the next-gen console’s event at the E3 last month left fans somewhat disappointed and allowed Sony’s own product to shine. Gamers were primarily upset by the controversial DRM policies of the Xbox One, which imposed restrictions on used games and required gamers to connect to the Internet at least once a day.

Microsoft promptly rolled back the controversial features, which allowed the company to regain some momentum in the race for next generation gaming platform supremacy, Sebastian added.

The analyst also talked about the advantages that the first console on the market will secure. Whichever console will launch first will gain a lot more attention and probably see increased sales, he said, adding that he could not predict which of the two will come first. The Xbox One is expected to launch in November, for a retail price of $499. Sony’s PS4 will retail for $399 and will launch “this holiday season.”

Xbox One orders through the roof

Meanwhile, Microsoft announced that demand for Xbox One at GameStop has gone through the roof. As a consequence, the retailer has had to stop all preorders for the console, according to Xbox officials. PS4 is also sold out at GameStop.

 Xbox One preorders have already exceeded those for its predecessor, the Xbox 360, according to gaming company Electronic Arts. Similarly, Sony believes PS4 will be its biggest hardware launch ever, EA added, underlining that millions of gamers are expected to purchase the new consoles.

Do you think concerns of Xbox One, PS4 shortages at launch are founded? Can Xbox One truly outship the PS4 this fall?

[Image via Capsule Computers]