Activision has suggested that the upcoming Xbox One and PS4 consoles are having an adverse effect on games sales as it reports Call of Duty: Ghosts pre-orders are lower than expected.
Although claiming that interest in the game is exceeding that of the last Call of Duty sub-brand launch - Call of Duty: Black Ops back in 2010 -, Activision has suggested that uncertainty of what console gamers will own at the time of release is causing fans of the series to hold off on pre-ordering the upcoming Call of Duty: Ghosts title.
"As one might expect in this console transition year, pre-orders for Call of Duty: Ghosts are well below the record-setting pace set by Call of Duty: Black Ops II last year,” Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg said in a recent discussion with investors.
He added: “However, our quantitative consumer research indicates that hesitation amongst past club pre-orders is primarily due to not knowing which platform they will be playing on, which is natural at this time in the console transition.
“It's worth mentioning that Ghosts pre-orders are over double those of Call of Duty: Black Ops, which is the last time we launched a new sub-brand for the franchise.”
While a Call of Duty: Ghosts release date has been confirmed as November 5 for the current Xbox 360 and PS4 platforms, with Microsoft and Sony yet to finalise the Xbox One and PS4 release dates, it is not yet known when the new COD offering will hit next-gen consoles.
Hedging its bets on supplying both current and next-gen platforms, Activision has reassured investors that it is making every effort to maximise its impact on the Xbox One and PS4 from launch.
“We also have in place the most aggressive marketing retail and digital programs in the history of the franchise. We've made substantial investments to make Ghosts a showcase for the next-gen consoles and also the best current-gen Call of Duty title ever.”
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Via: MCV
