Ubisoft is reporting that despite the statistically larger player-base of current-gen consoles, more pre-order have been placed for the next-gen versions of Watch Dogs and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

Speaking with MCV, Ubisoft Europe chief Alain Corre said that transitioning to the new consoles should be easy, considering the excitement that has already been generated.

“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. So we feel that the transition might be quicker. There is a real appetite for change.”

[Source: MCV]

Our Take

Assassin's Creed has proven itself to be one of those rare franchises that appeals to just about everyone willing to take part in interactive media. Much like Call of Duty, it's the kind of game that has devoted fans who don't necessarily follow release dates, even if they do intend to pick up the "new one" when it comes out. For this reason, I wonder how it will pan out once the game releases? Even if the next-gen version is garnering more pre-orders, I theorize that the current-gen version will still be the bigger seller. For Watch Dogs, however, a new untested franchise – we'll have to wait and see. In any case, the next-generation of consoles looks like it could be in for a strong start.