Key Takeaways
- Sony has confirmed that PS2 sales have exceeded 160 million, which was reported by former CEO Jim Ryan.
- The PS2 remains the best-selling console, with the Nintendo Switch close behind at 146 million units.
- Despite its discontinuation, the PS2 legacy lives on.
On November 26, Sony announced that the second console, the PlayStation 2has sold more than 160 million units worldwide since its launch in 2000. Although the PlayStation 2 (PS2) has been off the market for over a decade, it remains the best-selling video game console of all time , although the Nintendo Switch is hot.
Originally released in 2000, the PS2 was the successor to the original PlayStation and was successful from the start. With game releases that marked the beginning of the generation between the PS2 and PS1, the PS2 was compatible with most PS1 games, controllers and memory cards. The PS2 was powered by the Emotion Engine CPU, which was a joint effort between Sony and Toshiba. With an original starting MSRP of $299, the PS2 was considered an affordable DVD player, while the format was relatively new. Four years after its release, the PS2 received a minor upgrade called the PS2 Slim.
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More than two decades after the PS2 took the world by storm, Sony has announced the number of units of the sixth generation console sold. According to Sony's PlayStation history blog, the PS2 has sold more than 160 million consoles worldwide since its launch in 2000, compared to the previous total of 158.3 million. . The new bundle is for all PS2 units, including the PS2 Slim, sold throughout their lifetime. The PS2's impressive sales figures were confirmed by former chairman and CEO of Sony Jim Ryan in March 2024, around the time of his retirement. Ryan was responsible for the launch of the PS2 and other Sony products. Although Sony continued to produce PS2 units until 2013, the year the PS4 was launched, the PS2 released more than 4,000 titles in its lifetime and released series such as God of war SY Ratchet and Clank which is still seeing publication today.
Sony's PS2 has sold over 160 million units
- Sony announced that the PlayStation 2 has sold more than 160 million units worldwide since its launch in 2000.
- The new total was claimed by former CEO Jim Ryan, who will retire in March 2024.
- The achievement of 160 million has increased from the previous mark of 158.3 million.
- Although the PS2 currently holds the top spot, the Nintendo Switch is not far behind with 146 million units sold.
At the time of writing, the PS2 remains the best-selling video game console of all time, but another contender is not far behind. The Nintendo Switch has sold more than 146 million units since its release in March 2017, which puts it about 14 million units behind the PS2. The Switch sales figures included the Switch Lite and the OLED variant. With Nintendo working on an as-yet-unknown successor to the Switch, its hybrid console remains on pace to overtake the PS2 soon.
Although the PS2 has been discontinued, such titles Silent Hill 2 Designed for PS5 and PS5 Pro. All in all, the PS2's legacy remains strong in the hearts of gamers worldwide.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is Sony's direct “sequel” to the original PlayStation and stands as one of the best selling and most popular consoles of all time. With a catalog of amazing games, it stood strong against the GameCube and Xbox in the sixth generation of the console war.
- Mark
- Sony
- Original publication date
- October 26, 2000
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $299, £299
- weight
- 4.85 lbs
