U.S. game retailer GameStop hasn't yet begun taking pre-orders for Sony's PlayStation 4, as the company tends to wait for more specifics like price and release date before listing a product, but judging by the number of consumers that have signed up for the company's mailing list, demand for the new console is "strong." Over 600,000 people have signed up for the list to be the "first to know" of any new information or pre-order listings for the PS4.
"With only a glance at the PS4, gamers are excited and eager to know more," said GameStop president Tony Bartel. "Within just a few weeks, more than 600,000 people have signed up, showing strong demand for this new console."
The level of demand seems to translate across the seas as well, with a few UK game retailers also reporting "unprecedented demand." Last week, GAME acknowledged pre-orders for the PS4 are "performing very well." Many of the system's announced software titles, which are also available to pre-order in the UK, are also "doing well."
Mailing lists won't necessarily lead to pre-orders, but numbers like this are certainly encouraging — especially for an industry in desperate need of a boost. For months, the industry has experience lackluster sales as a result of "gamer fatigue" with the current generation of consoles. Many are hoping the PS4 and next Xbox will provide a much needed boost. The hype is certainly there; now we just need the details.
[Develop]
