PS2 hits 40 million mark in PAL territories

PS2 News | Takes over record set by PSone.

The next-generation platforms are almost upon us, and discussions about microtransactions, digital distribution and motion-sensing controllers are all the rage. However, the news this morning that Sony has just shifted its 40 millionth PlayStation 2 in PAL regions was a timely reminder that the company still has a considerable role to play in the home console market, whatever troubles it may currently be experiencing with getting the PlayStation 3 to market.

The landmark also means that the PS2 is officially the most successful home console ever in PAL territories, and takes over the record set by its predecessor, the PSone. Sony's first console sold a total of 39 million units in the region, and at a slower rate - six years into its lifespan (the PS2 turns six this month in Europe and Australia), the PSone had sales figures of "only" 33 million. PS2 hardly looks like slowing, either. In recent months, the console has consistently sold 100,000 units a week throughout the PAL nations of Europe, Oceania, the Middle East and Africa.

What Microsoft or Nintendo wouldn't give to match those figures in the coming generation, eh? Bravo, we say, and thanks for the memories, l'il guy.

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16 Comments

admeister

5 years ago

Wow, those PS2s really sell!

Selling that many consoles is like a dream to Nintendo and Microsoft. There's no question about which console won the last gen. It should be interesting to see the results of this new gen.

I doubt the PS3 will win, it's coming out so late for a start. I'd say the Wii has a good chance, at the moment.

InfernalEternal

5 years ago

admeister wrote

Wow, those PS2s really sell!

Selling that many consoles is like a dream to Nintendo and Microsoft. There's no question about which console won the last gen. It should be interesting to see the results of this new gen.

I doubt the PS3 will win, it's coming out so late for a start. I'd say the Wii has a good chance, at the moment.

I'd say the PS3 probably has the best chance. This article kind of backs up my arguement, the PS1/2 launched for pretty outrageous prices in Europe but that didnt hamper their success, whats to say the same wont be true of the PS3?

Sony has a massive foothold on the market, they blazed past both Nintendo/Microsoft in all three major territories. If they only manage to sell HALF of the total amount the PS2 did in those territories they'd still be in contention.

Zarnoss

5 years ago

I bought 2 PS2's due to the lens dying out in them.
One fat one slim...wonder who else is in the same boat?
Most of my mates have bought another one because of the same problem as well.

Ellegarden

5 years ago

Xcs:sIVE wrote

I bought 2 PS2's due to the lens dying out in them.
One fat one slim...wonder who else is in the same boat?
Most of my mates have bought another one because of the same problem as well.

I'm on my 3rd, fat one died of DRE, Slim one died over heating and a new one that works perfectly.

5 years ago

Xcs:sIVE wrote

I bought 2 PS2's due to the lens dying out in them.
One fat one slim...wonder who else is in the same boat?
Most of my mates have bought another one because of the same problem as well.

I've had 2 x Fatties die and now on my third (a slim). There's a funny sound already & its not 2 years old. Im wanting to get rid of it and look at the HDD idea to reduce the use of the laser. So Im going to look for another 2 x cheap PS2's fatties and a hard drive after XMas and call it a day.

PS3 won't be pretty for the early adopters (IE: first 3 years) and a "pissy" 12 month limited Sony mess-me-around warranty is not going to cut it on a $1,000 a bang console.

Hey Sony, Blow Dell, Blow Ray, Blow Me.

admeister

5 years ago

InfernalEternal wrote

admeister wrote

Wow, those PS2s really sell!

Selling that many consoles is like a dream to Nintendo and Microsoft. There's no question about which console won the last gen. It should be interesting to see the results of this new gen.

I doubt the PS3 will win, it's coming out so late for a start. I'd say the Wii has a good chance, at the moment.

The PS1 and 2 didn't get released 4 months late though (in PAL territories).
That's got to be a big disadvantage, even the Wii will have been selling for quite a while before the PS3 gets released.

Echo

5 years ago

Just on another note how many consoles have the Xbox, and 'Cube sold in Australia, ber interesting to compare.

Spanca

5 years ago

Xbox is somewhere between 800 and 900 000. Cube is 160 000. Xbox 360 has just passed 100 000. PS2 is well over a million...

David

5 years ago

Where'd you pull those from? You only got 360 anywhere near right!

It's actually 2 million for PS2, 130,000 for Gamecube, 630,000 for Xbox, 100,000 for 360.

InfernalEternal

5 years ago

David wrote

It's actually 2 million for PS2, 130,000 for Gamecube, 630,000 for Xbox, 100,000 for 360.

You sure about the original XBox? I've been hearing figures around 800-900,000 too. Just cant remember the source, might have been Microsoft maybe? I'll try and remember.

5 years ago

When they don't have anything good to announce Sony marketing just churn out another release about how many PS2 they have sold. Do we know if it's true or not? Does anyone care either way?

Should I call Nestlé and ask them how many Smarties they shipped over the past 7 years....."What... your not counting them?" "For god-sakes man, your customers need to know these things!"

Sin Ogaris

5 years ago

I would like to know the ratio between M 'n' Ms and Smarties. Which one has the greater market share? This is important to a chocolate consuming society.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

The Ps2 was the first system I got last gen and when the xbox came out this became my favourite (halo), this was slowly taken over by the gamecube (eternal darkness, mario sunshine & RE series) about half way through and then towards the end this was again taken over by the Ps2 (shadow of colossus, god of war, shmups).

Well done Sony.

Also this isn't news so that buyers can start making more informed decisions about which console they should get next....it's actually a record being broken....which as you know...is news on it's own.

David

5 years ago

InfernalEternal wrote

David wrote

It's actually 2 million for PS2, 130,000 for Gamecube, 630,000 for Xbox, 100,000 for 360.

You sure about the original XBox? I've been hearing figures around 800-900,000 too. Just cant remember the source, might have been Microsoft maybe? I'll try and remember.

Yes I'm sure. Figures are from GFK, the Australian tracking company.

Here's a sounce anyway.

http://blogs.theage.com.au/screenplay/archives/gaming_trends/003849.html

Zarnoss

5 years ago

ugh the boot wrote

Also this isn't news so that buyers can start making more informed decisions about which console they should get next....it's actually a record being broken....which as you know...is news on it's own.

Yeah I forgot to add onto my comment that I'm guessing that a good percentage of those sales are from people re-buying their PS2 and not like there is 40 million PAL PS2's sitting atop peoples TV sets.

40 million units sold though is quite staggering, that's a lot of moolah for Sony there.

ugh the boot

5 years ago

Yea I actually forgot to mention that the amount of people who actually bought that many would be about 20 million as a lot of people I know had to buy 2 (myself included).

But still 20 million is a lot and i'm sure a lot of those people used theirs as a dvd player and as a games console....not to mention the amount of times they used the thing per day (I know I used mine a lot as I had awesome component cables for it and I used it for all my dvd watching).

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