News Section Logo NEWS - Return to news section

 

The End of an Era: PS2 Finally Discontinued In Japan

Posted by: , 15:25 AEDT, Sat December 29, 2012

Permanent Link     Add Comments
submit to reddit
Sony plans to cease producing and shipping PS2s in Japan, tentatively signalling the end of a console that has lasted 13 years, and survived through three console generations
News story feature image
Image/Photo Credit: Matteo Paciotti | Photography @ Flickr, CC

After nearly 13 years, Sony has finally decided to discontinue the veritable gaming icon, the PlayStation 2. Once the current inventory of PS2s dry up, Sony will no longer be shipping the console in Japan and soon worldwide, according to Famitsu (link in Japanese).

Launched in March 2000, the PS2 and its library of over 10,000 games has long been considered one of the true icons of gaming history, sitting alongside the likes of the Atari 2600 and the NES as a market changing device. Today, there are over 150 million PS2 units all around the world.

Beating gaming industry stalwart Nintendo at their own game first with the PlayStation, and then solidifying their domination with the sequel, the PS2, Sony's console outlived many of its competitors during its 13 years of glory. It saw through the demise of Sega as a hardware company, with the PS2 easily beating the critically acclaimed Dreamcast console. It has survived the launch of not one but three Nintendo home consoles in its lifetime, the GameCube, the Wii and the recently launched Wii 2. And it also dealt with the emergence of Microsoft as a gaming company via its Xbox and the Xbox 360 consoles.

Even as late as 2008, the PS2 was still the most played console in people's homes.

But all good things ...


Comments:

Related News:

News Icon Former MS Boss: Sony Mismanagement Helped Xbox 360 Success

posted by: Sean F, 18:18 AEST, Tue May 15, 2012

News Icon Wii U Off To Good Start, But Xbox 360 Still Reigns Supreme

posted by: Sean F, 13:59 AEDT, Mon December 10, 2012

News Icon Are Sony's Woes Caused By Blu-ray?

posted by: Sean F, 17:42 AEST, Fri April 13, 2012

News Icon Next-Gen Console Rumours: PS4 'Orbis' and Xbox 720 'Durango'

posted by: Sean F, 22:35 AEST, Wed April 4, 2012

News Icon Leaked Documents Point The Way For Next Gen Xbox

posted by: Sean F, 16:56 AEST, Mon June 18, 2012