Sony’s PlayStation 3 may not have debuted to the commercial success the company anticipated, but to hear Sony tell it, that’s OK: after all, the company actually has two major video game console platforms, the PS3 and the now seven year-old PlayStation 2. Rather than seeing the PS2 as a platform superseded by the PS3, Sony plans to keep promoting and marketing the PS2 as a viable console platform.
To that end, Sony today announced it will introduce a new, slimmer model of the PlayStation 2 in Japan on November 22, just in time for the end-of-year holiday buying season. The new model features an integrated power supply—no separate AC adapter laying around and getting tangled up behind the TV—and drops the PS2’s weight from about 30 ounces down to a little over 25 ounces.
The new, slimmer PS2 has been rumored for some time, along with speculation Sony would introduce it at a price under $100. At least in Japan, that won’t be true: the console will debut with a retail price of ¥16,000 (about $140 USD), which is unchanged from the current PS2 model. Sony has not yet announced if or when the new model will arrive in overseas markets, but it would be reasonable to assume Sony would like to get the new consoles into retail channels in time for the end-of-year holidays. Sony will also be offering a separate vertical stand for the units for ¥1,500 (about $13 USD). The new units will be available in three color schemes: black, silver, and ceramic white.
Sony is hoping to sell 12 million PS2 systems during its fiscal year ending in March, while moving 11 million PS3 consoles during the same time. Sony currently loses money on each PS3 it sells, but at this point, every PlayStation 2 Sony puts into the marketplace actually earns the company money.
