Sony said it sold more than one million units of the new PlayStation 4 videogame console to consumers in its first day on sale, indicating strong initial demand for the device. bR>
Andrew House, head of the Japanese tech giant's videogame division said in a statement that gamers appear to be reacting well to the device.

"Sales remain very strong in North America, and we expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America," he said. The device will continue its rollout beyond North American markets on Nov. 29.

The company has said it expects to sell five million units by March, which would beat the initial sales rollout of its last-generation videogame device, the PlayStation 3, which sold 3.5 million units worldwide over the same introductory period.

Sony's data follow an initial flood of enthusiasm and long lines at stores for the PS4's debut at midnight Friday morning, as well as stock-outs reported at many retailers.

The numbers are a positive sign for the videogame console industry, which has struggled in recent years through a protracted slump as consumers have held off purchasing or turned to games offered on mobile devices and social networking websites.