Sony Corp. expects a steep increase in the number of game titles released for its flagship Playstation 3 game console, aiming to help the unit's slumping sales, according to a published report.

Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) President Kazuo Hirai was quoted by the Nikkei daily as saying that 200 software titles and 180 download-only titles would be released for the PS3 in the current business year.

A lack of attractive games has been widely cited as a reason the once eagerly anticipated game console has been selling poorly.

Nintendo Co.'s Wii game console has been outselling the PlayStation 3 console 3-1 in Japan and more than 2-1 in the United States so far this year, according to research firm NPD.

Hirai, who assumed the role of president and chief operating officer after the father of the Playstation, Ken Kutaragi, stepped down on Tuesday, told the Nikkei that Sony would work with game software publishers on marketing, to help ensure an increase in the release of games.

Overall, Tokyo-based Sony shipped 5.5 million PS3 machines in the fiscal year through March 31, fewer than the 6 million the company had targeted. Nintendo shipped 5.84 million Wii consoles worldwide during the same period.

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