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THE PS2 LIVES: Sony's PlayStation 2 is almost 10 years old and still going strong

• By Blake Snow
• March 05, 2009 15:27 PM PST
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Although past its prime, the PS2 is most certainly not dead, evenly pacing the consoles of the next generation.

Eight years, 140 million sold, and 1,800 games later, and the PlayStation 2 is still kicking it. While most consoles call it quits after four to five years, like previous attempts by Microsoft and Nintendo, the PS2 has rewritten the rules in terms of lasting appeal, finishing 2008 as the most-played console in America.

Great Games, Lots of Them

"There are about 30 million active PS2 homes in the U.S. who are still playing," says John Koller, director of hardware marketing for Sony Computer Entertainment. "Affinity for the console is still high because the PS2 engendered fans with great games and lots of them."

The system has such an attentive audience, that Sony projects an additional 130 PS2 games this year, the same number of good times released in 2008. "The PS2 is still on every publisher's list," says Koller.

He wouldn't name specific upcoming titles, and virtually all first-party efforts have been shifted to the PS3, but Koller said an influx of publishers who abandoned the PS2 for newer consoles are coming back. "They've been calling to revamp their PS2 support," he says.

Planning Ahead With Third-Party

PS2 owners hoping for more God of War type epics, which Koller calls an "early adopter" category, are out of luck though. From now on, it'll be social games like Buzz, SingStar, and Rock Band; sport staples like Madden; and whatever else third-party publishers come up with. You can also expect more "casual" stuff, says Koller. "In the next year, we're going after the mom purchasers."

That's more than either the defunct Xbox or GameCube can say, though, something Koller acknowledges. "We've never left consumers in a ditch like other console makers," he says, a jab at Microsoft and Nintendo for pulling the plug on their respective sixth generation consoles well before the PS2.

The Long Price of Victory

PS2 longevity comes at a price, however. "The continued success of console shows that consumers haven't fully adopted next generation," says video game analyst Michael Pachter. Indeed, only 40 percent of PS2 owners have bought either a PS3 or 360, according to Sony -- a slothful two to three years after that latter two systems launched.

A lot of that has to do with the unprecedented sales of Nintendo's Wii, but Koller maintains it's more an issue of educating consumers on PS3's value than any indifference to current technology or sensitivity to the system's $400 price.

Whatever the reason, devout PS2 owners are still feeling the love with a steady stream of new games, thanks to the system's record-smashing life-to-date sales. "There are only a few other types of products that have those numbers, so it calls for some celebration," says Koller.

Pachter predicts the party will continue. "There are still a ton of households that don't own a console, and as we see migration to the $99 and $49 price points, said homes and lower income individuals will buy PS2s along with catalog titles. With a library that big, there's something 'new' for everyone."

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