Sony's PlayStation 3 games console has overtaken rival Microsoft's Xbox 360 machine in Europe, despite the Xbox's having a 16-month lead in the region and a much lower price, according to Kaz Hirai, head of Sony's computer games division.

Sony says it now has an installed base of more than 5m machines in Europe, putting it a whisker ahead of Microsoft. Both consoles, however, still trail by some distance Nintendo's Wii console, which sold about 6m units in Europe last year.