Lifetime worldwide PS3 shipments have surpassed those of Xbox 360, according to a new report published by market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC). According to a GamesIndustry.biz's summary of the 67-page study, PS3 shipments hit 77 million units in December 2012 versus Xbox 360's 76 million.The figures cited relate to console units shipped to retail and not those purchased by consumers; actual PS3 sales reached 70 million units in November 2012, according to Sony, roughly one month after Microsoft reported the same Xbox 360 sales total.
Where IDC's reported shipment figures originate from isn't specified but, if accurate, they represent good news for Sony given that PS3 launched one year after Xbox 360, and the fact that it's widely perceived to have suffered a slow start given its then-relatively high price point.