Will Titanfall Save Xbox One?

Sony’s PlayStation 4 has outsold the Xbox One by an estimated 2 million units since both products were introduced back in November. The PS4 carries a list price of $399, while the Xbox One goes for $499. To attract new buyers, Microsoft has bundled Titanfall with the Xbox One for a price of $499, effectively giving the game away with the purchase of the hardware.

Microsoft had people lined up around the block and further in Austin, Texas, site of this week’s SXSW tech and music extravaganza, for a preview of the game. Titanfall was developed by Respawn Entertainment and is published by Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA). The game will be available for the older Xbox 360 console on March 25.

Gaming industry watchers are cautious, with not many willing to risk a sales forecast for the new game. Anecdotal evidence indicates that the release has generated a lot of buzz. The Wall Street Journal reported that Titanfall has been the most pre-ordered game in the United States for more than a month.

Whether the game can become a major franchise like Halo or Call of Duty appears to be anyone’s guess right now. But Microsoft is making a big bet, giving Titanfall away and essentially matching the price of a PS4 with an Xbox One plus the most highly anticipated game of the year so far.