Sony: US PS3 hardware sales up 14% year on year

Sony has responded to the most recent round of US industry sales figures from NPD by pointing out that its PS3 console is selling 14 per cent more, year on year, than it was last May - making last month the fourth consecutive month of double digit sales growth.

The NPD report paints a grim picture for the US market, showing the lowest physical games sales for five years, albeit partially due to a sparse release schedule. Nonetheless, hardware sales for the PS3 and 360 were both up.

"The PS3 platform is stronger than ever, and with the launch of Infamous 2, we continue to show our commitment to delivering the best and freshest content line-up available to our consumers," said SCEA senior director of corporate communications, Patrick Seybold.

"At E3 last week, we saw first-hand the consumer excitement for 3D, PlayStation Move and our first party franchise titles that will continue to drive the brand."

Sony has suffered considerable setbacks over the last year, after experiencing production issues for the forthcoming PS Vita during the 11 March earthquake and tsunami, and then enduring six weeks of PSN outage, at the cost of $170 million, thanks to a security breach.