Ubisoft: Next-Gen Pre-Orders for ‘AC4′ & ‘Watch_Dogs’ Outselling Current-Gen

Although we know that a lot of gamers are excited for the next-gen thanks topolls around the net, at this point we don’t know just how many gamers plan to pick up one of their two shiny new console options. Moreover, we don’t know how many players plan to forgo the current-gen versions of some fall releases, in favor of the presumably superior next-gen iterations.

Well, at least for Ubisoft, it appears that the next-gen is beating current-gen, even with games that will be available at least a month before the PS4 and Xbox Onewill be on store shelves. Apparently, the promise of next-gen technology trumps playing a game early.

According to Ubisoft, pre-order numbers for next-gen versions Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch_Dogs, two highly anticipated fall releases, are much higher than those for current-gen versions.

Obviously, there is going to be a transitional period as we move from current-gen titles and technology to the next-gen, but Ubisoft feels that transition might be quicker. They also anticipate Watch_Dogs and Assassin’s Creed 4 will do very well sales-wise, and could chart somewhere in the top 5 for 2013.


“The fans are really excited to get their hands on the new technology. It has been eight years without a home console from Sony or Microsoft so we feel a lot of excitement from our fans for Watch Dogs or Assassin’s Creed IV. The pre-orders we are getting are much bigger on our next-gen games.”

Watch_Dogs has a strong following behind it in part because it’s an original IP, and because it has some interesting, tech-inspired ideas. Assassin’s Creed 4, on other hand, puts players in control of a pirate assassin, and who doesn’t want that?

Publishers are also doing their part to make the transition to next-gen easier by making Season Pass subscriptions cross-gen, meaning if you buy it for one console it will translate over to its successor. Activision just announced it for Call of Duty: Ghosts, and Microsoft confirmed their Season Pass guarantee shortly after. So, at least on Xbox One – and hopefully on PS4 – Season Passes will carry over even if you purchase both versions.

Of course, we won’t know how well these titles will actually sell until they are available for purchase. Watch_Dogs releases on November 19th, which is around the time we expect the two next-gen consoles to hit. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, on the other hand, is the more imminent of the two releases, and will hit store shelves on October 29th.

Will you be picking up either Watch_Dogs or Assassin’s Creed 4? Are there any games that you are waiting to play on next-gen consoles over current-gen?

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