The Sony PS5 is the clear early leader in the next-gen console war, according to one interpretation of a new study of gamers in the United States.
According to new research from VGM (via GamesIndustry.biz), the majority of gamers who’ve pre-ordered a next-gen console have snagged the PlayStation 5.
The survey found that only 15% of respondents had successfully managed to snag a console ahead of the release date. 72% of those grabbed the standard PS5 and a further 10% pre-ordered the digital edition.
On the contrary, 30% of those successfully pre-ordering a console opted for the Xbox Series X and 8% went for the Series X. If you’re doing the math at home, you’ve probably figured out that some of these people bought more than one console.
Related: PS5 vs Xbox Series X
The survey doesn’t necessarily spell doom for Microsoft, far from it. For starters, only 511 people were surveyed by the firm, which is a very small sample size.
In fact, this might say more about the respective pre-ordering process than anything else. The survey said that 29% of all respondents were unsuccessful in their attempts to pre-order one of the new consoles. That’s around double the number of people who have been able to reserve one.
When tallying up the choice of those unable to pre-order, 58% were trying to pre-purchase a standard PS5, while 40% wanted an Xbox Series X. At the lower end of the pricing scale, 21% wanted a digital edition of the PS5, while 11% were seeking an Xbox Series S.
That could suggest that, despite a chaotic pre-order window for Sony’s PS5, the Xbox Series X/S consoles were actually harder to come by.
What the survey does likely tell us is that the high-end versions of each console are emerging as the most popular among early pre-order customers. Of course, those earliest adopters are often hardcore gamers who take pride in getting the console on day one. More casual gamers may be more likely to seek the cheaper option as time goes on.
One the holiday season rolls around, we’d expect the more affordable versions of the next-gen consoles will become more popular.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
