Sony has sold 7m PlayStation 4s worldwide since its launch in November 2013, as the Japanese electronics company continues to struggle to meet the huge demand for the new console.

The PS4 is ahead of Microsoft’s Xbox One in sales, which sold 3m units by the end of 2013 but recently got a boost by the release of the triple AAA sci-fi shooter Titanfall.

"The response from the global gaming community for PS4 has been overwhelming and we are truly humbled," said Andrew House, president and group chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment in a statement. "Although we are still facing difficulties keeping up with the strong demand worldwide, we remain steadfast in our commitment to meet the needs of our customers.”

Sales of the PS4 have outpaced its predecessor, the PlayStation 3, which sold 3.5m units in its first four months on sale.

Software sales for the PS4 have been strong, with 20.5m copies sold world wide across retail and digital distribution by 13 April.

• Xbox One boosted by Titanfall release, but strong a Christmas gave the PS4 a strong lead