Last year was "best yet" for PS3 - Sony

Sony Computer Entertainment America boss Jack Tretton has said PS3 is doing very nicely thank you, adding that the only way is up.

"2009 was a great success for the PlayStation brand in a market that continues to be impacted by a down economy," he wrote on the US PlayStation blog. "I wanted to thank you for making this past year the best yet for the PS3."

Tretton went on to cite NPD figures which state consumers spent 15 per cent more on PS3 software last year - even though software sales across all platforms were down 9 per cent. The PS3 was the only console to enjoy double-digit growth in the US last quarter.

December was a good month for Sony, with a million consoles and 7.3 million games sold. January hardware sales were up 36 per cent year-on-year.

According to Tretton, sales of Uncharted 2 have surpassed Sony's "lofty expectations" and the game outsold the first instalment in the series, with 3 million copies sold worldwide. MAG is also doing alright, with more than have a million copies shifted and 270,000 matches played.

"We've also successfully established that we're not just a disc-based powerhouse, but we're also a digital powerhouse," said Tretton. PlayStation Network revenue was up 155 per cent year-on-year in December. Apparently, "More than 40 million of you all over the world are coming to PlayStation Network to access multimedia content and to enhance your social gaming experiences."

The Sony boss cited Heavy Rain, God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII as reasons to be cheerful, adding, "Not to mention the many other games we're keeping up our sleeves." Then there's the motion controller, of course.

"Thank you again for making PS3 your entertainment device of choice. We look forward to your continued excitement for the brand," Tretton concluded.