The PlayStation 2′s life is coming to an end in Japan after 12 years!
After selling a record number of consoles worldwide and further cementing Sony’s place as a videogame making power-house, it appears that the PlayStation 2 has reached its production end. In Japan at least, as sources from Famitsu (via Polygon) have confirmed that the system will no longer be shipping to retailers in its country of origin.
The PS2 has been on quite a spectacular journey; released back in March 4th of 2000, the console quickly beat: Dreamcast, GameCube, and Xbox competitors and had such immense staying power in Japan that a games were still being released for it, years after the PlayStation 3 took its place as Sony’s flagship gaming machine.
Of course, Sony’s willingness to bleed every last dollar out of their devices like a business-savvy vampire played a big role in that, but it’s still an amazing feat to consider. Another well-earned feat that can be attributed to the PS2 is the adaption of the DVD format. My first DVD player was a PS2, and I’m sure for loads of gamers during early half of the new century, the same could be said of them.
Sony hasn’t made it clear if they’ll be shutting down manufacturing for the PS2 globally, but with the PlayStation 4 on the near horizon and with only a scant few places even carrying the system anymore, I wouldn’t be surprised if total production ceased a.s.a.p. And if that time is indeed upon us, I know many that will salute the passing of a great friend and time killer.
