The PS3 is coming to Europe on March 23, and according to online retailer Play.com, there is an enormous number of preorders being placed for the machine that make the previous demand for the Xbox 360 or Wii pale in comparison. Play.com says there are six times as many preorders for the PS3 than the Xbox 360 had, and 15 times as many Wii preorders.
The unexpected rush on PS3 preorders surprised Play.com’s Guan Luzio "We underestimated the demand and we were very disappointed that we could not fulfill all preorders due to stock shortages."
Sony says that the widespread frenzy for the PS3 is spreading like wildfire across retail outlets. "With an unprecedented day one shipment of 1 million machines into Europe and a software catalogue of over 30 titles available at launch, retailer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Woolworths, Amazon, and Play, to name a few, are reporting record breaking pre-orders and an overwhelming demand for PS3."
The sudden rush for PS3s during its U.S. debut caused the machine to be extremely had to come by. This resulted in huge price spikes on auction sites and through private parties. However, once the machine was more readily available–which occurred much faster than anticipated–demand for the PS3 dropped significantly. Some pundits in the industry speculated that the rush was due to nothing more than a perception that people could make a quick buck by turning around and reselling units on eBay. Once the initial rush ended, real demand slowed drastically and PS3s began to sit on store shelves, unsold. With the PS3 about to launch in Europe, it will be critical for Sony to see if similar patterns develop overseas and whether the PS3 can sustain sales following the initial launch.
