By Darren Waters
Technology editor, BBC News website

PS3
A price cut in the summer of last year helped lift PlayStation 3 sales

Sony's PlayStation 3 games console has outsold Microsoft's Xbox 360 in
Europe, according to figures released by Sony.

More than five million PS3s have been sold across the continent,
Sony's David Reeves confirmed.

Speaking at a European PlayStation event in London, he said: "The
numbers are a testament to the strength of the PlayStation brand."

He said PlayStation 3 had been outselling the Xbox 360 since October
last year.

"We have sold more PlayStation 3s throughout Europe than Xbox 360 even
though they launched 16 months before us."

Mr Reeves, head of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, also said 12
million PSP handheld consoles and 48 million PlayStation 2s had been
sold in Europe.

Despite Sony's overhauling of Microsoft in Europe, both firms' sales
are a long way behind the Nintendo Wii.

Price tag

Sony has managed to overtake Xbox 360 sales despite a much higher
price tag.

The cheapest PS3 is available for £299, versus £159 for the Xbox 360.

"We have been consistently outselling our closest competitor [Xbox
360] since October 2007, even with the latest price point," said Mr
Reeves.

Microsoft cut the price of Xbox 360 in March.

The PS3 is far more mass market than 360, which has gone for
traditional adult males
Nick Parker, games consultant

The figures will cheer Sony after a painful launch period for the
machine, which saw delays, stock problems and criticism from gamers
that early titles for the machine were below par.

Kaz Hirai, Sony's global head of PlayStation, said the first year of
PS3 had been difficult.

Speaking at the London event, he said: "There were teething
problems... and customers were a little underwhelmed by early games."

'No surprise'

He said Sony was going to promote the PS3 as a "multi-faceted
interactive entertainment system" in the year ahead.

Games consultant Nick Parker said it was "no surprise" that
PlayStation had overtaken Xbox in Europe.

"The PlayStation has held out remarkably well over the last 18 months
despite the press slating it because of the price. People got behind
the brand.

"The PS3 is far more mass market than 360, which has gone for
traditional adult males - and that does not go down well in
continental Europe."

He said consumers in Europe had "never gotten over the design ethos of
the original Xbox."

Microsoft had set out to broaden the appeal of its titles "but never
did come up with the goods", he went on.

The Xbox 360 was performing well in the UK but has a "problem on the
continent".