Sony officially ceases shipments of PS2 units in Japan

[CD AGES]

http://www.techspot.com/news/51196-sony ... years.html

[GSZX1337]

Here's the article for those too lazy to click the link:

According to Japanese publication Famitsu, Sony has halted shipments of the PlayStation 2 in Japan this week, leaving local retailers with their final quantities of the iconic console. It's unclear whether Sony has immediate plans to stop shipments in other regions as well, though some believe the system will continue to be readily available in many developing countries where the machine remains popular for its affordability and library.

Launched to great fanfare in March 2000, the PlayStation 2 was at least partially responsible for killing Sega's Dreamcast and popularizing the DVD format. With two major revisions and more than a dozen minor ones, the console has shipped over 155 million units worldwide as of March 2012, making it the all-time best-selling console (excluding handhelds), topping the original PlayStation's 102 million sales and the Wii's 97 million.

Despite its age, it was still bought by more than a million people over the last year -- particularly across developing areas such as India and Brazil, the latter of which only received the system in 2009. It ranked as the world's most-played console as recently as 2008 according to Nielsen and developers continue to support the archaic machine with fresh ports, with this year's releases including MLB 2K12, FIFA 13 and PES 2013.

Besides the fact that the PlayStation 2 is practically prehistoric (it hit shelves when the N64 was still Nintendo's flagship offering), it's not too surprising to see Sony adjusting its lineup. The company is undergoing major restructuring in an effort to regain profitability and it's expected to unveil the PlayStation 4 next year, so we assume it would want to reposition the PS3 as its second-string player and officially bench the PS2.

Man, I didn't know that Sony was still shipping out PS2s. I'm also interested in seeing what Brazil does with the console.

[Valkyrie-Favor]

I was honestly hoping the PS2 would live forever.

[GSZX1337]

I was honestly hoping the PS2 would live forever.

The Disc Read Errors would kill most of them before the end of the decade.

[Nemoide]

On a related note, does anyone know how to get a Japanese PS2, new or used, in the US?

[hashiriya1]

On a related note, does anyone know how to get a Japanese PS2, new or used, in the US?

Through me.

[flojocabron]

I posted a simliar article over on my dump thread.

but whatever.

[lisalover1]

Even the biggest Nintendo or Sega (or Microsoft, maybe) fan in the world has to have a moment of silence for the PlayStation 2. If nothing else, it has earned its place in gaming history.

[LentFilms]

It actually makes me feel a little melancholy. The PS2 is my personal favorite system of all time, it quite frankly had every type of game I enjoy on it and housed many of my favorite games. Sure, it didn't quite have the same warming persona that systems made by Nintendo/Sega had, but it hit a bulls eye were it mattered most, the games. The amount of support the PS2 received is simply amazing and is what really pronounced it as this system that literally had almost everything for anyone.

While its relevance, in terms of new games, might have completely dried up in about 2010, it saddens me still to hear that it has completely lost support.

Here's to you old friend! It was an outstanding thirteen year run,



(Highlight from the kotaku article)

With over 150 million consoles sold since its release in 2000, the PS2 is easily the world's most successful home video game console of all time.

[BoringSupreez]

I was honestly hoping the PS2 would live forever.

The Disc Read Errors would kill most of them before the end of the decade.

Only the fat models, and those are repairable.