PS4 sales pass 5 million ahead of Japanese console launch

PlayStation 4 sales have rocketed past the 5 million mark, ahead of the console's release in Japan on February 22.

It follows confirmation that Sony will live-stream its PS4 Japan launch event on Friday night, and will see industry figures such as Shuhei Yoshida and Hideo Kojima talking about the console and more.

Eurogamer reports that Sony announced the milestone this morning, with global PS4 sales now sitting at 5.3 million. It launched here in Europe on November 29.

The site adds that Sony projected 5 million PS4 sales before the end of this current financial year, which expires on March 31. It's currently ahead of target, and is expected to sell out once the console launches in Japan this Saturday.

In a statement; Sony Computer Entertainment boss Andrew House said, "I am thrilled that so many customers around the globe have continued to select PS4 as the best place to play throughout and beyond the holiday season. We are delighted that according to the NPD Group's latest data, PS4 was January's top-selling console in the United States. The PS4 system's momentum just keeps growing stronger, and we are extremely grateful for the continued passion and support of PlayStation fans.

"February 22 sees the launch of PS4 in Japan, and I'm looking forward to Japanese fans sharing the excitement of the deep social capabilities and entertainment experiences only possible on PS4."

As of January 24, Microsoft confirms global Xbox One sales of 3.9 million. The company has yet to update its numbers, but it will be interesting to see how the two machines stack up.

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