Sony's said Thursday that its computer entertainment unit laid off nearly 100 of its 1,600 U.S employees, with most coming from its headquarters in Foster City, Calif.

The electronics maker said the job cuts were part of its restructuring. In April 2007, Sony's European division announced similar plans, laying off 150 employees.

SCEA spokesman David Karraker said that the staff 'alignment' is to aid in the company's restructuring and allow it to maintain its position in the market

These restructuring efforts are currently underway and do include the streamlining of our operations and other initiatives to further strengthen the business, reduce costs and increase operational efficiency, Karraker told gaming magazine, Kotaku.

Sony's entertainment division is the same unit responsible for the company's Playstation gaming consoles.

April 2007 sales data from the NPD group show that the PS3 trails Nintendo's Wii and Microsoft's Xbox 360 with only 82,000 units. In Japan, the Wii outsold the PS3 by 5-to-1 in May, according to published reports.

Sony's computer entertainment unit posted a $2 billion loss on sales of $8.6 billion during the company's 2006 fiscal year.

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