The PlayStation 3’s latest global sales figure are in, and it seems that Sony still has a long way to go before its console overtakes Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Since launching in late 2006, 23.8m PS3 consoles have been sold across the world – the Japanese electronics giant has annouced.

But the figure pales in comparison to the Xbox 360 which, as of May this year, had already sold a more impressive 30.2m units.

PS3 fanboys will be quick to jump on launch dates, though, as the Xbox 360 is admittedly the older console of the duo – having been around since late 2005.

However, Sony still has a very long way to go before it’s able to meet its own sales forecast of shifting 150m PS3 units by the end of the console’s lifecycle.

Sony’s never said when it’ll kill off the PS3, of course. But, to give you an idea, the PS2 is now roughly nine years old and - as of December last year - Sony had sold a whopping 136m units of both PS2 incarnations.

Gamers have long argued that a PS3 price cut – the 80GB version currently retails for around £290 ($488/€341) – will be the surest way of increasing the console’s sales. But given Sony’s latest financial figures, such a move seems unlikely. ®