[FullMetal]

From a January 4 article:

The company has confirmed to the Guardian that after 12 years and 150m units sold worldwide, making it the most successful home games machine of all time, all PS2 production has ended worldwide.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology...ure-ends-years



Famitsu confirmed in late December production stopped in Japan.

[grimshawish]

Thanks for the information Guardian!

EDIT: Rubbish first post. I thought this had been widely reported this week...
EDIT2: NOT RUBBISH! :p

[Kazuma Kiryu]

[Jinfash]

End of an era.

[Combichristoffersen]

mgs3salute.jpg

King of kings, you have earned your rest.

[Majine]

[Metalmurphy]

It's this true?


Wasn't it still selling at reasonable levels?

[Kyoufu]

I'll always love you, PS2.

[B.O.O.M]

End of an Era. Farewell best console evah

[Nerfgun]

They don't make em like that anymore.

[SailorDaravon]

It's this true? Wasn't it still selling at reasonable levels?

I honestly haven't seen one at a US retailer in at least 2 years. We picked up a new one when they started to get scarce here about 3-4 years ago, and they were all gone shortly thereafter.

[Mama Robotnik]

Tremendous console, utterly dominated its generation with a wonderful lineup of software guided by a competent Sony.

Shame they lost all the money they made on it though, as it was profit well-deserved.

[Danielsan]

Forever the king. *salutes*

[PaulLFC]

What a run it's had. 150 million, doubt that will ever be topped. Fantastic console.

[CheesecakeRecipe]

There's nothing else to be said.

[Y2Kev]

That's interesting...you'd think they'd still be interested in selling it in some of the emerging markets. Though I guess maybe major markets like Brazil/India are already up to the current gen?

[MasterSheen]

Wait what?

Wasn't it still selling well in developing countries?

[Jinfash]

Wasn't it still selling at reasonable levels?

I think it was. But my guess is that they want to covert those sales into Vita sales.

[aaaaaa]

"It trounced its underpowered rivals, the Nintendo GameCube and Sega Dreamcast,"

Gamecube was slightly more powerful than the PS2, although it was released a year later. This also leaves out the XBox which was released around the same time as the GCN.

[Kagari]

[Combichristoffersen]

I think it was. But my guess is that want to covert those sales into Vita sales.

Another great idea from Sony.

[grimshawish]

That's interesting...you'd think they'd still be interested in selling it in some of the emerging markets. Though I guess maybe major markets like Brazil/India are already up to the current gen?

Its probably getting to the point where its now getting more expensive to keep producing them. Meanwhile there is probably stock somewhere.

The emerging markets are buying quite expensive tech anyway in the shape of phones and tablets. Not PS2's for software that is no longer marketed or well positioned.

[mrklaw]

That's interesting...you'd think they'd still be interested in selling it in some of the emerging markets. Though I guess maybe major markets like Brazil/India are already up to the current gen?

I think they want to start selling PS3 at this stage, although price is still an issue (but much better than last year at least)

[Hot Coldman]

Probably the greatest games console of all time, all said and done. Only the SNES can challenge it.

[Mung]

G.O.A.T

[CadetMahoney]

Markets like Brazil/India are already up to the current gen?

Not too sure about that myself.

[Kazuma Kiryu]

That's interesting...you'd think they'd still be interested in selling it in some of the emerging markets. Though I guess maybe major markets like Brazil/India are already up to the current gen?

i'm sure they could still sell a few of those, i haven't been keeping up that much with sales numbers, but perhaps it's declining fast? they're already keeping psp, vita and ps3 in the market, i'm guessing they're gearing up for ps4 and probably want to introduce ps3 as the cheap option?

[Crewnh]

The legend ends.

[Auto_aim1]

It's this true? Wasn't it still selling at reasonable levels?

They shouldn't juggle so many consoles tbh. There's hardly any software being made for the system; I think it was the right time to stop the production considering PS4 is on the horizon.

They should also do the same for PSP and concentrate on the Vita. Consumers haven't been given a good enough reason to move away from the PSP, and I don't think they will.

[DieH@rd]

RIP. PS2 will be remembered forever.

[TheBigG753]

What an amazing run.

[Cheddahz]

The Playstation 2 will be a legend forever....

[B.O.O.M]

The legend ends.

Legends NEVER end!

[Bgamer90]

Surprised that's it's worldwide.

Guess they need room for PS4.

[akilshohen]

That's interesting...you'd think they'd still be interested in selling it in some of the emerging markets. Though I guess maybe major markets like Brazil/India are already up to the current gen?

I thought they were out there for a while, considering Netflix was released for PS2 there.

[Deadbeat]

Anyone know where I can pick one up for cheap in North America?

[Eusis]

Need to grab a spare for safe keeping.

... And a few spare DualShock2s.

[Bgamer90]

I thought they were out there for a while, considering Netflix was released for PS2 there.

Really? Interesting.

I may get a new mini PS2 to replace my fat one to save space... especially if the new Playstation won't be backwards compatible with PS2 games.

[DarkMehm]

You have to keep in mind that productions usually are 1-2 million higher than the shipped number. So they could still ship PS2s half a year from now. That should be more than enough for emerging markets like South America, parts of Africa or Asia.

[Jinfash]

We should share their stories of our time with this console, starting with how we felt when we first picked up.

[DR2K]

One sequel that didn't suck.

[sTeLioSco]

The Legend

[Labombadog]

bigbosssalute.gif

Welp, time to pick up a slim and store it for backup.

[Corto]

And the logistics and costs of manufacturing, distributing and marketing 5 gaming platforms (PSP, Vita, PS2, PS3 and the next PS4???? also went into account for this decision I'm sure. Maybe Sony could sell licenses to build PS2 clones to third parties now, to sell in those emerging markets. Get some money upfront without the onus of having to support an ancient platform.

[BrokenEchelon]

It's this true? Wasn't it still selling at reasonable levels?

They can't very well expect retailers to have space for the PS2, PS3, AND PS4 in 2013 can they? :)

[Zeroth]

That's interesting...you'd think they'd still be interested in selling it in some of the emerging markets. Though I guess maybe major markets like Brazil/India are already up to the current gen?

In Brazil people have moved from (pirated) PS2s to (pirated) 360s for some time now. The PS2 was certainly big here until the 360 became more widely available and cheap, and I imagine the situation is similar in other developing countries. That said, the PS3 market is pretty big.

[Hot Coldman]

We should share their stories of our time with this console, starting with how we felt when we first picked up.

I didn't have one until like 2005/6, but I know I played a fuck-ton of Vice City at various friends' houses. Shit felt good. Especially pre-'04, before I got my GCN.

The first game I actually got myself for the PS2 was Okami. That was something special.

[meltingparappa]

Somethingawful had jokes about this.

Sony Stops Producing PlayStation 2 Units

Twelve years after the PlayStation 2 debuted, production has officially come to an end.

Sony officials were surprised when they wandered into one of their forgotten factories and noticed that all the lights were on, with all sorts of large machines mass producing PlayStation 2 units. The Sony businessmen - having assumed that they stopped making the console once the PS3 launched - grasped the sides of their heads and opened their mouths in comedic shock.

After unplugging all of the machines and flicking the lights on and off, the executives shooed the factory workers from the building. Finally, they turned to one another and breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to have caught the mistake before it could cost them even more money.

Then, one executive asked if the others heard a noise coming from the old PlayStation 1 factory.

[Bgamer90]

We should share their stories of our time with this console, starting with how we felt when we first picked up.

I was in the 5th grade... got it a few months after it released thanks to my aunt (Feb. 2001).

Got SSX, NBA Live 2001, and Tekken Tag. A few months after that I got NBA Street. So much fun.

The PS2 is my second favorite console of all time, right below the SNES. So many great games and so much variety.

[Terbinator]

We should share their stories of our time with this console, starting with how we felt when we first picked up.

It was great, apart from having to wait four months for my Mum to buy me a memory card.