The PS3 didn't exactly sprint out of the gates, but it has been making up some serious ground lately. Even so, can it really be on par with the most popular video game console in history, which just so happens to be the PS3's predecessor? Well, lest we forget, the PS2 had a somewhat rocky start as well, and Sony's Sir Howard Stringer believes the PS3 is actually "on par" with the PS2 and could eventually equal - or even surpass - the last-gen system's success.

According to an e-mail interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Stringer wrote that the recent price drop and aggressive marketing tactics were both "planned by the PlayStation group," and everything is running along smoothly. In fact, he believes the momentum is now "the same as it was with the PlayStation 2." Sales are rising and the games are here - with many more to come - so that's all good news, and the numbers can't be too bad. Stringer also said the PS3 wasn't "behind the curve compared to the PlayStation 2 in terms of momentum." We have yet to learn how North American gamers responded to that price drop and the new 40GB PS3, but if Japan is any indication, it should be more good news for Sony's next-gen console.

Granted, there's a long way to go before the PS3 comes even close to the 120 million units sold the PS2 managed, but Sony remains firm on its goal for 11 million PS3s sold before the end of the fiscal year. And of course, Sony has claimed the lifespan of the PS3 is "ten years." ...you do the math.