So when do you think the PS2 will finally just die.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

8 or 9 years since its release, the PS2 is still going fairly strong. Sure most titles are now just the big budget and licenced titles. There is something still there though. I think as long as it remains a cost alternative to the Wii and has similar titles without motion controls, it will probably live another 2 years. Lets just say 1 to be one the safe side though.

[Dylan]

Yeah, the PS2 is enjoying a very long, successful life. The only real issue with it is the lack of newer material, because Sony is putting all of their effort into the PS3. I would guess that it's lasted this long because of its excessive library of games.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Yeah, the PS2 is enjoying a very long, successful life. The only real issue with it is the lack of newer material, because Sony is putting all of their effort into the PS3. I would guess that it's lasted this long because of its excessive library of games.

Yea. If you look at the sales numbers though its selling better than the PS3 almost every month. You would think Sony would put a little effort into the one thing thats making them money.

[Dylan]

Sony hasn't been on top of their game business-wise lately. They released the PS3 way too late (really hurts your 3rd party support) and at far too high a price (Damn Blu ray player). It doesn't surprise me that people prefer the much cheaper alternative of a PS2. Complete with a fantastic library of games that are all becoming dirt cheap. Seriously, There's a pawn shop by my house that resells games:

NES: $4 per game
SNES: $5 per game
Xbox/PS2: $3 per game

It just makes sense at this point. Also, I was one of those kids that was always a generation behind on consoles, so I guess I just have an understanding of it based on experience.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I actually just asked our store's Sony representative about this and she said that projected plans for a severely diminished retail presence for the PS2 will begin in late 2010 if demand for the PS2 and it's games begins to wane. But if demand remains as unprecedentedly high as it's currently been she stated that Sony was currently looking into extending the PS2's life cycle for at least another 5 years.

[Dylan]

That would be pretty reasonable if you ask me. Stick to what works. But 5 years? I wonder if the PS2 could hold the public's attention that long...

[molotovwars]

I think we had a topic about this awhile ago. That aside, the PS2 may soon become my gaming system of choice. I'll be moving to South Korea for a year in August (or should be anyways) and have been contemplating what systems to bring. I've got a Wii, but I may not bring it just because I'd want to bring so many different controllers (gamecube, wiimotes, nunchucks) and I know I'd bring the PS2 as a DVD player. Mine is modded and because its the slim model its very conveinient. The huge library and being able to download games (and backup the ones I already have for when I travel) is great. It should be getting plenty of use over the next year.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

Well to put it into perspective the Wii and PS3 have already been out for nearly three years and while they offer new control schemes and nicer graphics they still can't capitalize on the fact that the PS2 is currently $99 with nowhere to go but down.

That along with the PS2's massive library, PS1 support, Progressive scan DVD player, integrated broadband support and the ability to output stunning graphics in 480p (90% of the games released in the last 6 or so years), 720p or 1080i (Gran Turismo 4, Tourist Trophy and a few other titles) and capitalize on the fact that 90% of it's current library's AAA titles are under $20 NEW and you have a recipe for success.

[nickfil]

I actually just asked our store's Sony representative about this and she said that projected plans for a severely diminished retail presence for the PS2 will begin in late 2010 if demand for the PS2 and it's games begins to wane. But if demand remains as unprecedentedly high as it's currently been she stated that Sony was currently looking into extending the PS2's life cycle for at least another 5 years.

wow. 5 years seems like a lot. I wonder if they would release a new ps2 build in that case. A super slim model (the size of a cd walkman or something like that) with built in bluetooth controller would be great.

It'll probably only be another year though. A new ps3 slim is coming out. I'm sure sony is focused on supporting that.

[randombullseye]

I've easily sank a few hundred dollars into PS2 games this year. I've built up a nice backlog of action games like God Hand, rpgs of all varieties, and the really crazy one's like Mister Mosquito.

First I went down Racketboy's list. Anything that seemed to interest me, I was on the hunt for. Then I did some google searching "best ps2 games" "good ps2" "underatted ps2" stuff like that. I found several games that are european only, and now I'm looking for a special PS2 to play them. These are the two earth defense force games, Michigan Report From Hell, and several other games.

There for a time, samurai's were my main interest. I own at least fifteen games featuring Samurai just on the PS2 now. I've all the nippon ichi strategy rpgs, all the shin megami tensei rpgs, and all three suikoden's on PS2. I got seven mack elevens, about eight thirty eights, nine nines, ten mack tens, the shit never ends. I've picked up titles no one remembers like Blood Will Tell and Siren. I picked up a few games I don't like at all, I bought them with very little research and can't really stand either. The Getaway Black Sunday and Death by Degrees. I probably will play both again at some point, but I feel they were a waste to buy for some reason. One game I'm super happy to have bought is Yakuza 2. It's river city ransom and shenmue combined, and I bought the first game as well. I also have We Heart Katamari, but have yet to pick up the first one. I've also Gradius V, Raiden III, and R-Type Final. Neo Contra I managed to pick up as well and love it, a perfect complement to Shattered Soldier. This isn't the half of the games I've bought for PS2, and it doesn't include my first go around before my PS2 died in 2004-05. My xbox's death had something to do with me getting more into the PS2, but I was already pretty into Persona when it happened. I also have a few robot games like RAD, Robotech battlecry, and one of the Gundam games.

I'm at a point where I have to stop. I'm wasting money buying games I'm not playing. I've played Onimusha 3 & 4 approximately ten minutes. Enough to see that they worked and quit. Okami I've barely touched. Final Fantasy XII and X-2 aren't getting played anytime soon. And this isn't counting the drawer full of games that just sat there for a few years. One's like Red Faction, Shattered Soldier, the Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3, and so many others.

The main appeal of the PS2 is the sheer variety of it. It feels like I'm back in the old days playing my nintendo again. One minute I'm kicking ass in Yakuza, then I'm playing an RPG that's dark and brooding, then its over to a game where I have swords for arms. And then I'm drinking people's blood as a mosquito.

Not counting games, I'll probably sink more money into this as I learn about some other games I've not played. Like Clock Tower 3 & Haunting Ground, I need those two. And maybe even that Justice League game, it couldn't follow the trend of all Superman games, could it? There's always something to buy and its all over the place as to what you can find. Shmups, rpgs, beat em ups, survival horror, games where you do nothing but talk, games where you run away from a flood, games where you're told to "kick their ass" then proceed to shoot anything on screen for ten minutes, then fight a gigantic boss. I'm really enjoying playing games I missed out on that are rather cheap. It's easy to find something worth playing under twenty dollars every other week, or even a stack of games worth playing. For example, I like Ghost Rider. I don't love Ghost Rider, but I enjoy his character enough that a simple beat em up is worth ten dollars for me. Especially with Blade being unlockable and playable. The system just has so much to go for.