The pre-order listings for the Xbox One and PS4 on Amazon have proven to be a proxy battle for the consoles. Amazon have confirmed that the Xbox One is currently edging out the PS4 with just 2.3 per cent more sales, despite both consoles being listed for the princely sum of £599.99.

“It’s not clear yet which of the two will have the edge when they launch later this year,” said Xavier Garambois, VP of Retail at Amazon EU. “What’s certain, though, is that fans are already excited about how the next generation of consoles will change the world of gaming and home entertainment.”

Garambois also revealed that the Xbox One pre-orders are even outpacing those for the Xbox 360 when it first launched. No details were given in comparison to the PS3 pre-orders, but we can expect – if the Xbox One is beating the PS4 by such slim margins, and that is better than the 360 – that the PS4 isn’t looking too shabby itself.

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More details are set still from both companies over the E3 period, but it’s possible that price points will still be kept secret. Sony notoriously slowed its own sales with the $599.99 pricing of the PS3, and which ever company jumps first might soak up bad press for over-charging.