Sony's PlayStation 3 will sell more than the combined sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii consoles by 2010, according to a market analyst. 

Dublin-based Research and Markets claims that the latest version of Sony's games console will rack up 71 million sales, with the Xbox 360 selling around 40 million and the Wii coming third with around 31 million. 

However, the company said that the PlayStation 3 would not dominate the market in the same way as the previous versions of Sony's games consoles.

Research and Markets puts this down to Sony's delayed introduction of the console into Europe and the head start gained by the Xbox 360.

The analysis comes despite a sales report from the US showing that the Xbox 360 was the best-selling games console in the US during November and December.

Market analyst NPD reported that preliminary figures showed the Xbox 360 sold almost two million consoles in North America, with the Wii running it close with 1.8 million. 

Sony's console followed in third place with just 750,000 units sold from its 17 November US launch date.