Sony's Gara: 20-year high for UK PlayStation pre-orders

Following the news last night at the Sony Gamecom press conference that the PlayStation 4 had already seen over one million pre-orders, Fergal Gara, Sony Computer Entertainment's UK and Ireland managing director revealed that the UK had played a major role in that total.

"Andy [House] quoted a number last night for pre-orders, in fact he quoted a low end number, he said 'in excess of'", Gara told GamesIndustry International this morning.

"The UK represents a significant proportion of that, we're talking unprecedented levels of pre-orders that we haven't seen in 20 years in this business."

"Our internal conversations are now all about securing volume"

"Yes the pre-order phenomenon is a reasonably recent one, or certainly growing in recent years but it does mean that demand is well ahead of our expectations as they were earlier in the year so our internal conversations are now all about securing volume."

He said that while plans for the launch were still underway, it was a big moment for the company and he did not expect it to be "low key." The launch date for Europe is currently November 29, around a week after the release date industry insiders are expecting for Microsoft's Xbox One. Microsoft have not released any pre-order numbers as yet.

"There's nothing better in any form of business than when customers are rewarding you with their custom and it's absolutely true to say, particularly since E3, gamers have been rewarding us with their commitment and their pre-orders," added Gara.

"We don't allow ourselves to get in any way smug or complacent but yes we are confident, and that's a good place to be."