Sony’s PlayStation 2 Hits 50 MIllion Mark

By Geoff Duncan January 15, 2009

Sony

Most of the buzz in the video game industry these days centers around the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, and the seemingly unstoppable sales juggernaut of the Nintendo Wii, but amid all that hype and hooplah, it may be important to note that Sony’s best-selling console system isn’t the PlayStation 3: it’s the PlayStation 2. Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that it has recently sold its 50 millionth PlayStation 2 system in North America.

Originally introduced way back in the year 2000, the PlayStation 2 is still on the market—and still has new games coming out for it, although most of them are from a single publisher—Sony. The mighty PS2 is also outselling its newer, bigger brother: according to the NPD Group, Sony sold more PlayStation 2 consoles during November 2008 than PlayStation 3 systems. When the PlayStation 2 was introduced, it cost $300 and included a DVD player; today, the system is slimmed-down and costs $130—and, unlike the PlayStation 3, can play both PS2 games and titles developed for the original PlayStation platform.

Industry watchers generally blame the high price of the Blu-ray equipped PlayStation 3 as a barrier to sales and more widespread consumer adoption, although the platform is still lacking an exclusive, breakthrough title to propel sales. Sony has been pushing the platform forward, although the recent beta introduction of its 3D virtual world PlayStation Home has been soured by crude behavior from residents.

Although we wouldn’t expect the PS2 to stay around forever, Sony says it has no plans to discontinue the PlayStation 2 platform.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Gaming

Xbox, PlayStation, and PC: Is Elden Ring cross-platform?

Characters fighting on horseback in Elden Ring.

When it launched in 2022, Elden Ring was an immediate hit. The challenging game took everything great from previous FromSoftware titles and merged it with a sweeping open world to explore -- letting players venture in any direction just a few minutes after starting the game. That also made it incredibly daunting. Not only did you have to contend with nightmarish monsters and rage-inducing combat, but you had to figure out how to best reach your next destination without stumbling upon enemies that were twice your skill level.

Thankfully, Elden Ring makes use of a (cryptic) multiplayer system, allowing you to explore the Lands Between with a buddy by your side. You can also read and leave messages for other players, giving them tips and tricks to guide their journey. But is Elden Ring cross-platform, or are you stuck playing with folks on the same platform as you?

Gaming

I was a PlayStation Portal hater. Now it’s one of my go-to gaming devices

A PlayStation Portal plays Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

In November, I reviewed the PlayStation Portal. I was mixed on Sony’s streaming handheld at the time, frustrated with a corner-cutting execution of a good idea. It seemed like a poor value compared to simply slapping a cheaper Backbone controller on a phone. As is often the case with tech reviews, though, I only had a short window to test it out where I was more focused on the more objective side of what the Portal does and doesn’t do. Would my feelings change when I was using it naturally?

I’ve gotten the answer to that question over the past few months. While I barely touched my Portal after reviewing it in 2023, it’s quickly become a go-to device in my home as of January. I’m now breaking it out at least once a week, finding some practical use cases for it. Though my overall assessment of it hasn’t changed, I have a more tangible understanding of where it can be a useful -- if superfluous -- PS5 companion. It’s a needless luxury, but one that I’m finding that I'm happy to indulge in.
Second screen
The PlayStation Portal’s launch just so happened to come right before a major life change that would shift my perspective. After living alone for three years, my girlfriend moved into my apartment last December. It’s been a natural change that’s working great so far. That shift does come with some lifestyle changes, though. We’re both crammed into a one-bedroom apartment, which means we’re sharing a tight space. We remotely do our jobs feet apart in the same room, and most evenings are spent lounging on the couch.

Gaming

PlayStation Spring Sale: best deals, how long is the sale, and more

With the rise of all-digital consoles, more and more people are doing a majority of their game shopping on digital storefronts. For PlayStation 5 owners, whether you have a disk drive or not, you more than likely have at least a couple of games purchased from the PlayStation Store. The convenience of simply downloading a game and not having to worry about the disk is great, but you also can catch some amazing deals. The biggest sales events come seasonally, and the current Spring Sale is offering deep discounts of up to 90% on some of the biggest games on the platform. If you've been waiting to pick up one of the great games you missed earlier this year or in years past, now might be the best time to snag it for cheap!
When is the PlayStation Spring Sale 2024?
The PlayStation Spring Sale started on March 27, 2024, but new deals were added on April 10 that will last until April 24.

If any deal is exclusively for a PS5 version of a game that is also on PS4, we will note that beside the title. Since all PS4 games run on PS5, we won't mark PS4 games.
Best deals for the PlayStation Spring Sale
God of War Ragnarök Sony Interactive Entertainment