Sony: PS3 continues “its benchmark year”

Sony has announced that total hardware sales for PlayStation game systems reached 503,363 units for the month of April in the US. PS3 sales of 187,071 units represent a year-on-year sales growth of over 127%. In April more than 2 million software units were sold for PS3 – 410% year-on-year growth.

Sony has also had its calculator out to present impressive stats for Rockstar Games’ GTA 4. Over one million copies of the game were sold for PS3 in North America, with 23.6% of US PS3 owners snapping up a copy. Sony says this represents a 29% higher attach rate for the title than Xbox 360. Enthusiasm for GTA 4 and the imminent launch of Haze and SingStar is also expected to lift hardware sales through May.

Sony also reiterated its “monster 2008 software line-up for PS3”, including Metal Gear Solid 4, SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Confrontation, Resistance 2 and LittleBigPlanet.

“Clearly, the tremendous legacy of Grand Theft Auto on PlayStation, combined with the blockbuster launch of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue packed a one-two punch with consumers at retail this month,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. “The proof is in the numbers and, in April, PlayStation 3 hardware sales experienced a 127% increase over April of last year.”

Tretton added: “With exciting PlayStation Network innovations and our strongest console-driving titles of the year still on the horizon, PS3 remains on pace for a breakthrough year.”

Sony’s PSP sold 192,000 units in April across North America, representing a 5.4% year-over-year growth. Sales were helped by high demand for God of War: Chains of Olympus and Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. Each contributed to total PSP software sales of over one million units during April.

The PS2 also continues to sell, moving 124,276 units in April. Lifetime US sales of the PS2 now stand at over 42 million units in the US.