Sony: PS3 slim sales "ahead of expectations"

_{by Matt Martin}

Sony UK's sales director Mark Howsen has told that first week sales of the PlayStation slim have exceeded expectations.

The new unit went on sale last Tuesday in the region priced at GBP 249, with Chart-Track data revealing today that sales were up over 1000 per cent.

"The first week's Chart-Track numbers for sales of the new PlayStation 3 were ahead of our expectations, so we were extremely pleased," offered Howsen.

"A new price point and a new machine has proven a significant catalyst to help consumers make the move onto PS3."

Howsen said that the company intends to maintain momentum over the coming months with the new GBP 82 million ad campaign promoting the system, exclusive games and the recently announced PlayStation Video Store.

"Our new advertising campaign, The Game Is Just The Start, is also demystifying the value proposition," he said. "This ongoing campaign and the addition of some great exclusive and new IPs - Uncharted: Among Thieves, EyePet, Heavy Rain - and services [such as] PlayStation Video Store, will hopefully provide even more trigger points to drive future purchases of PlayStation 3."

The PlayStation 3 became the lead hardware format in the UK last week, a position it had not occupied since the first week of 2008.