March 15 (Bloomberg) -- Sony Corp., the world's largest maker of video-game players, is maintaining its forecast of selling 6 million PlayStation 3 units for the fiscal year that ends in March, a spokesman said.

Sony will provide estimates on May 13 for shipments of PlayStation 3 for the fiscal year that ends in March 2008, Nick Sharples said today in an interview at the Cebit trade fair in Hanover, Germany.

Sony will start a beta test in April for a new interactive avatar-based community that will be integrated in the company's PlayStation, Sharples told reporters at a press conference in Hanover.

Tokyo-based Sony had to postpone the PlayStation 3's European debut after a parts shortage for the machine's Blu-ray DVD player. Sharples said sales in Europe will start March 23.

To contact the reporter on this story: Holger Elfes in Dusseldorf at helfes@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: March 15, 2007 13:58 EDT