Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Guides

RIP PlayStation 2: Sony halts production of the most successful game console in history

By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

On Dec. 28, we reported that after 13 years, Sony’s PlayStation 2 will finally end its historic run, and conclude production after becoming the the world’s best selling home gaming console. Sony announced via Famitsu magazine that it would halt production of the PlayStation 2 in Japan for starters. At the time it appeared that Sony would simply start with Japan and slowly wind down PlayStation 2 manufacturing as the console still enjoys brisk business in countries like India and Brazil where it’s only been available for the past five years. Not so: Sony confirmed on Friday that has halted PS2 production worldwide.

Between its release in March 2000 and the end of 2012, Sony’s second console handily outsold every other home video game console ever made with 153.68 million machines sold. Some of the most famous consoles in history didn’t even come close to that record. Nintendo sold just under 62 million Nintendo Entertainment System consoles between 1983 and 1995 when it stopped production of the machine in North America. Nintendo’s home console business over the past decade truly demonstrates how successful the PlayStation 2 was on a global scale. Nintendo’s last two consoles, the 2001 Gamecube and the 2006 Nintendo Wii, have sold approximately 122 million consoles combined.

Recommended Videos

The home console to come closest to the PlayStation 2 was its predecessor. The original PlayStation saw over 102 million consoles sold during its twelve-year production cycle starting in 1994.

Related

Sony is expected to announce an unnamed fourth generation PlayStation—whose codenames have reportedly included PlayStation 4, Orbis, and Thebes—sometime before the end of the year. Since the PlayStation 3 is entering its seventh year on shelves, the PlayStation 2’s end is coming right on time according to the original PlayStation’s lifecycle.

Still, it’s surprising that Sony would end the PlayStation 2 when there are still sales to be had. The PlayStation 2 slim model was only released in India and Russia in 2008. The console was released for the very first time in Brazil in 2009. Even now a number of developers continue to produce PlayStation 2 games. Not just regional developers either. Major publishers including 2K Games, Konami, and Electronic Arts have all published sports titles for the PlayStation 2 in the past twelve months.

Sony does need to trim costs somewhere, though, and shutting down production of an ancient console, no matter how successful, will help in that regard as the fiscal year nears its March finish.

Here’s to you, PlayStation 2.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Anthony John Agnello
Anthony John Agnello
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Anthony John Agnello is a writer living in New York. He works as the Community Manager of Joystiq.com and his writing has…
PlayStation reverses course on controversial Helldivers 2 PC change
Two soldiers hug in front of an explosion in Helldivers 2.

Sony will no longer require PC players of Helldivers 2 to create a PlayStation Network account in order to access the game. This reversal followed a weekend of controversy that saw both Helldivers games getting review bombed on Steam.

If you're unfamiliar with this controversy, Sony and Arrowhead Game Studios angered Helldivers 2 players with an announcement last week. They planned to start enforcing a PlayStation Network account requirement that Helldivers 2 on PC had ignored since shortly after launch. This already didn't sit well with PC players who flock to Steam in order to avoid making accounts elsewhere, but the situation worsened once players noticed Helldivers 2 was sold and purchased by people in regions where people can't create a PlayStation Network account. This resulted in a massive review-bombing campaign on Steam, Valve allowing refunds, and Steam delisting the game in regions that don't allow PlayStation Network accounts.

Read more
The best games on PlayStation Plus, Extra, and Premium
A person plays Crash Bandicoot using a PS5 DualSense controller.

PlayStation Plus has undergone several iterations and changes since its introduction. Originally, the service wasn't required for online play at all and rewarded subscribers with extra discounts and free monthly games. Once the PlayStation 4 generation began, it was required for online play, but still offered those same benefits.

Now, PS Plus is divided into three different tiers of subscriptions. The basic tier, PS Plus Essential, still gets three games per month added, while the Extra and Premium tiers will have a varying number of games added to their catalogs. With hundreds of games already and more coming and going all the time, even the most dedicated gamer won't be able to play everything on offer. To help you get the most bang for your buck and so that no hidden gems fly under your radar, here are all the best games to play on PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Premium right now.
Best PS Plus Essential games
As is usually the case, everyone with the lowest tier of PS Plus gets three games this month, two with PlayStation 5 versions and one with a PS4 version. Here's what you can play this month:

Read more
PlayStation 6: release date speculation, price, specs, and more
sony reveals customizable ps5 dualsense edge controller front and back

In a recent quote, Sony Senior Vice President Naomi Matsuoka said: "Looking ahead, PS5 will enter the latter stage of its life cycle." Many in the industry took that to mean that we may be hearing about the next PlayStation console sooner rather than later.

Considering Sony has yet to break its naming convention, it feels safe to assume whatever future home console we get will be called the PlayStation 6. But not only has the name not been officially confirmed, but neither has the idea of a next-generation PlayStation console or even a PS5 Pro. It's almost a guarantee, but technically nothing is set in stone. Rumors and potential leaks have already started stirring up excitement, so let's see what the future of PlayStation may look like according to the rumors.
Release date speculation

Read more