Every time Sony releases their quarterly earnings, they update their records to show exactly how many consoles and games have been sold to the public over the past few months. Let's take a look at the PS3 figures then, eh?
In 2006, Sony decided to start tracking how many consoles and games they sold all the way through to customers, not just to retailers (which is how most other companies record "sales"). It's an admirable practice, and one which gives us a very accurate picture of how the PS3 (and its games) are faring, since these figures have been available for the entirety of the machine's lifespan.
Anyway, here are the numbers, which cover the period from launch until June 30, 2009:
PS3 consoles: 23.8 million
PS3 software: 189.7 million (all publishers, includes both retail and PSN titles)