PlayStation 3 sales catch up with Xbox 360 total

Neck and neck

Almost five years since it was first launched, Sony's PlayStation 3 has nearly caught up with Microsoft's Xbox 360 - when it comes to sales figures.

Sony's latest financial numbers reveal the company has sold 56m units so far.

Microsoft said last month that 57.3m Xbox 360 consoles had been sold. Don't forget that it has been on the market a year longer than its arch-rival.

The PlayStation 3 has had a rough ride and a slow start, with Sony losing money due a dawdling PS3 uptake.

A slimline redesign and subsequent price cut changed Sony's fortunes, though, and aside from this year's hack scandal - which supposedly saw PS3 owners trade their consoles for 360s - it has been quite the successful journey.

Sony sold 3.7m consoles alone in Q3 - Sony's second fiscal quarter - this year, a 5.7 per cent increase on Q3 2010's tally of 3.5m units.

Incidentally, PSP sales also increased upon last year, despite the company's next handheld - PS Vita - preparing to land on Japanese shelves this month. ®