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There are no plans to discontinue PS2 support for the foreseeable future.

50 million PlayStation 2 consoles have been sold in North America. Despite being nine years old, the console is still selling well and is the most played console of 2008 according to a Nielsen study. In November, 206,000 PlayStation 2 units were sold.

According to NPD numbers, the original Microsoft Xbox sold 14.5 million consoles and the Nintendo GameCube sold 12 million consoles. In the United States alone 43 million PlayStation 2s have been sold.

In an interview with Gamasutra, John Koller, director of hardware marketing at SCEA, explained the PlayStation 2s continued success is a “self-fulfilling prophecy”. The PlayStation 2 continues to do well because they continue to support the console and there are no plans to discontinue support.

Koller discussed how the key to the PlayStation 2’s success was the inclusion of a DVD player and its “incredible software lineup”. Sony has been unable to duplicate this success with the PlayStation 3 despite the inclusion of a Blu-ray player.

As time has passed the demographic of who is buying PlayStation 2’s has changed to “young families and lower income play," according to Koller. As a result Sony has been focusing on social family oriented games for the console.

According to Koller, the PlayStation 2 2009 software lineup is "still fairly significant” and Sony plans to encourage publishers to continue develop for the console for the foreseeable future. Koller also ruled out the possibility of a price drop for the PlayStation 2 from $129.99. He stated, "We've looked at a variety of options, and I think we're pleased with where we are; it's a significant financial contributor for us and it sells very well at $129.99. We're comfortable with the current price."

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Proves v=f/c
By bobcpg on 1/14/2009 12:07:17 AM , Rating: 5
Graphics are NOT why people but video games and consoles. Well it might be why they buy them but not why they like them. Its all game play. You might think you like a game solely or even mostly based on graphics, but in reality you like it because of the game play. Yeah you might say the graphics are part of game play, and they are. But, take your favorite game and at what point of graphics degradation would you stop playing it?

Value = Fun / Costs




RE: Proves v=f/c
By porkpie on 1/14/2009 12:14:41 AM , Rating: 5
Hell, I still play a lot of computer games from the 1990s. There's even an old DOS game I boot up now and then.

Modern games suck, by and large. The devs spends 98% of their budget on the graphics, and 2% on gameplay.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By PogoThePrez on 1/14/2009 3:36:38 AM , Rating: 3
Don't see why people cry about graphics all the time. A high level of graphics may not make the gameplay but it CAN augment it. Imagine Gears 2 cave areas just being flat walls with low rez textures on them. Or all those pretty explosions being simple sprite images. While allot of devs do put too much effort on making things pretty its not always for nothing. Its just finding the right balance between the two.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Amiga500 on 1/14/2009 7:23:16 AM , Rating: 2
Yeap!

Been playing the old "Detroit" game in the evenings over the past few days.

Totally simplistic, infact, a bit crap really - but an easy way to burn some time with crap weather.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By grath on 1/14/2009 10:50:18 AM , Rating: 4
quote:
There's even an old DOS game I boot up now and then.


UFO: Enemy Unknown (aka X-COM: UFO Defense) is the one I get a jones for about once a year and it sure is a pain to get it running properly. The X-Wing/Tie Fighter/XvT series is another.

Look at what they had to work with, a couple megs of ram, CPU that couldnt even decode an MP3 in real time, no graphics hardware, and three floppies to fit the game on. If necessity is the mother of invention, scarcity is the mother of necessity. It was the lack of technical capabilities of the hardware that forced designers to compensate with the only unlimited resources available, ingenuity and elegance. That was the equation that produced some exceptional gameplay.

Today we are just spoiled on powerful hardware, both players and designers. Consumers have demonstrated that we will still buy games that offer better eyecandy than gameplay, and developers dont mind spending more on artists than programmers and designers. The technical capabilities are so vast that an effort must be made to think outside the box rather than being forced into it, and so innovation suffers.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By foolsgambit11 on 1/14/2009 6:00:47 PM , Rating: 2
I still do time trials on The Legend Of Zelda. The Original. I got my personal best time ever last night. 58:43. It's nowhere near record times, but hey, I'm proud.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By mircea on 1/14/2009 4:58:31 AM , Rating: 2
Even more so since the NES, the worse graphics system became the best selling one including handhelds.
NES won against technically superior Sega Master System
SNES -------------------------------------- Sega Genesis/32X
Gameboy --------------------------------- GameGear/Nomad
Playstation ------------------------------ Sega Saturn and Nintendo 64
Playstation2 ---------------------------- GameCube and Xbox
Gameboy Advance/NDS ------------- PSP
Wii ---------------------------------------- Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 (for now)


RE: Proves v=f/c
By BansheeX on 1/14/2009 7:25:02 AM , Rating: 3
So what are you trying to say, technical inferiority = better gameplay? Why then are average scores of the Wii library the worst of any system? The fact is, being a cheap kid-oriented system gets you the most amount of assemblyware.

http://www.kotaku.com.au/games/2008/02/say_did_you...

The fact of the matter is that the Wii is more capable than the Gamecube which is more capable than the N64 and so forth. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy cheaper games for what they are, it just means better hardware does improve quality and capability while removing no prior quality or capability. Some of us know that Nintendo is capable of selling far more capable hardware and it would have made a lot of their games better.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By mircea on 1/14/2009 8:26:35 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
So what are you trying to say, technical inferiority = better gameplay?


NO. If you read again you notice I say that the system with the worse graphics of it's generation has always sold more. Just an observation since it wasn't always the cheapest one (Playstation 2 for example was more expensive than GameCube)


RE: Proves v=f/c
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 10:29:25 AM , Rating: 2
Let's not forget the feature set, like backwards compatibility, new generation storage format, etc come into play. Also release dates of the console and software library.

Nintendo sells more consoles, but sell less games. Does that mean Nintendo is greater than the other two, simply cause they sold more consoles?


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 10:37:28 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Nintendo sells more consoles, but sell less games. Does that mean Nintendo is greater than the other two, simply cause they sold more consoles?


Apparently people seem to think that is the case. The games tend to be lame on the console and I think it stems from the fact they chose an unusual control scheme. While it helped them broaden the appeal, it also turned game developers off and they ended up with tons of shovel ware. If the console was more powerful like the other consoles, they might have ended up with more of a winner. Might not have sold as many consoles, but surely would have had better games.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 10:57:49 AM , Rating: 2
That's how I feel about it. I had a Wii, but promptly toss it to my sister. She has 3 little kids, so better for them.

For me, it was simply the lackluster graphics. The games play the same way as any other game, cept you have a goofy controller. This was not enough to entice me to stick with the lower quality graphics.

I'm still gaming along on my PS2, US/Japan 360, PS3, PC, and PSP. I've been looking at the new DSi though, as there are a few games on that handheld that I wouldn't mind giving a shot.

I still have a US PS2 and Japanese PS2, as certain controllers simply don't work correctly on the PS3.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Reclaimer77 on 1/14/2009 11:06:18 AM , Rating: 3
The Wii brought millions of people to console gaming that would otherwise have not.

I see this as only being a good thing for ALL console gaming in the future, regardless of platform. Plus a little healthy competition never hurt any business.

You and Gzus need to understand the Wii is a proof of concept. Nintendo simply did not have the money to make a powerful high graphic laden system. I would say judging by its sales, you can't doubt they proved the concept is viable.

Sony and Microsoft brought nothing new to console gaming. No true innovations. Nintendo changed the way you played consoles. And I honestly believe all of us, regardless of what platform we're fanboys of, will benefit in the future.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 11:16:05 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
The Wii brought millions of people to console gaming that would otherwise have not.


That is the main reason I find it as a horrible thing. Unfortunately when you put tons of random demographics in something that never would have liked it in the first place without a gimmick, you open the flood gates for shovel ware garbage. Game quality goes down the toilet, cause those people didn't like games for the same reason gamers DID like games.

quote:
You and Gzus need to understand the Wii is a proof of concept. Nintendo simply did not have the money to make a powerful high graphic laden system. I would say judging by its sales, you can't doubt they proved the concept is viable.


As most have stated, they have proved they can shovel cheap consoles on people and not sell very many games to go with those consoles. If the console was more money, it would pale in comparison to the Microsoft and Sony offerings. Cheap computers sell well, doesn't make them the best, just makes them cheap. If the computer has a gimmick, like a netbook for instance, then it will sell even better.

quote:
Sony and Microsoft brought nothing new to console gaming. No true innovations. Nintendo changed the way you played consoles. And I honestly believe all of us, regardless of what platform we're fanboys of, will benefit in the future.


One man's innovation is another man's bane. Sony and Microsoft brought something to the table that consoles were missing. True AI and physics. If you don't think those affect game play, then I wonder your definition of a good game. A wiggly controller is fine, but AI and physics are lame by comparison on the Wii.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Reclaimer77 on 1/14/2009 1:07:06 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
That is the main reason I find it as a horrible thing.


And that's why your a psycho with an opinion that doesn't count.

It's just a box full of circuit boards kid. Relax, it's not going to destroy the world or gaming as you know it.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 2:27:12 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
It's just a box full of circuit boards kid. Relax, it's not going to destroy the world or gaming as you know it.


It is not the console I worry about, it is the people who make games for it. If shovel ware can be made for low cost and sell pretty well, there isn't much motivation to make better games, now is there?

If a bunch of morons buy things like Cooking Mama, then there will be less reason to make high end games. Most people look for the most profit with least effort and even if they don't, the publisher usually does (I'm looking at you EA and Ubisoft!).

Guitar Hero III was one of the best selling games of all time I believe. It is a rhythm game and people gobble it up. I don't want that to be the norm just like I don't want low quality wand waggling titles to be the norm.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 12:03:23 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
You and Gzus need to understand the Wii is a proof of concept. Nintendo simply did not have the money to make a powerful high graphic laden system. I would say judging by its sales, you can't doubt they proved the concept is viable.


You do know that the Wii was a Hail Mary for Nintendo. Regardless of what they came out with, they couldn't afford to fail this time around. Whether it was low end or high end, if it failed, Nintendo would have limped away and probably died out.

Nintendo could have easily made a powerful high end graphics console, but their thoughts were on focusing on a completely different audience. Attempting to fight Microsoft and Sony simply didn't work.

quote:
Sony and Microsoft brought nothing new to console gaming. No true innovations. Nintendo changed the way you played consoles. And I honestly believe all of us, regardless of what platform we're fanboys of, will benefit in the future.


Sony and Microsoft filled the voids of gaming on consoles. Allowing for multiplayer over the internet, better graphics, better ai, more multimedia features on consoles, downloadable expansions, downloadable games, etc. Microsoft is still attempting to bridge the gap between consoles and PC, allowing users to play against each other.

If you don't consider these innovations, I really don't think the wiimote can be considered one either. Plenty of mice that are just like the wiimote for PC and you can even play games with them. Same as the feature set available on the PS3/Xbox 360. Plenty of arcade games also use wiimote like peripherals. Even specific PS2 games has motion sensitive controllers.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 12:03:23 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
You and Gzus need to understand the Wii is a proof of concept. Nintendo simply did not have the money to make a powerful high graphic laden system. I would say judging by its sales, you can't doubt they proved the concept is viable.


You do know that the Wii was a Hail Mary for Nintendo. Regardless of what they came out with, they couldn't afford to fail this time around. Whether it was low end or high end, if it failed, Nintendo would have limped away and probably died out.

Nintendo could have easily made a powerful high end graphics console, but their thoughts were on focusing on a completely different audience. Attempting to fight Microsoft and Sony simply didn't work.

quote:
Sony and Microsoft brought nothing new to console gaming. No true innovations. Nintendo changed the way you played consoles. And I honestly believe all of us, regardless of what platform we're fanboys of, will benefit in the future.


Sony and Microsoft filled the voids of gaming on consoles. Allowing for multiplayer over the internet, better graphics, better ai, more multimedia features on consoles, downloadable expansions, downloadable games, etc. Microsoft is still attempting to bridge the gap between consoles and PC, allowing users to play against each other.

If you don't consider these innovations, I really don't think the wiimote can be considered one either. Plenty of mice that are just like the wiimote for PC and you can even play games with them. Same as the feature set available on the PS3/Xbox 360. Plenty of arcade games also use wiimote like peripherals. Even specific PS2 games has motion sensitive controllers.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By fic2 on 1/14/2009 12:19:16 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Sony and Microsoft filled the voids of gaming on consoles. Allowing for multiplayer over the internet, better graphics, better ai, more multimedia features on consoles, downloadable expansions, downloadable games, etc. Microsoft is still attempting to bridge the gap between consoles and PC, allowing users to play against each other.

If you don't consider these innovations, I really don't think the wiimote can be considered one either.


multiplayer over internet - PC had it first
better graphics - PC had it first
downloadable expansions - PC had it first
downloadable games - PC had it first

I don't see how you could consider any of these innovations unless you think just moving it to a console is an innovation.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 12:24:12 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I don't see how you could consider any of these innovations unless you think just moving it to a console is an innovation.


His point about the waggle wand being on PCs as well leads me to believe he meant for consoles, as none of this crap is innovation by PC standards.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Reclaimer77 on 1/14/2009 1:03:53 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Nintendo could have easily made a powerful high end graphics console,


This is really not true. As evident by the fact that they didn't even have enough production capacity to meet the consumer demand of the current Wii. Let alone a much powerful, complex unit.

quote:
If you don't consider these innovations, I really don't think the wiimote can be considered one either.


I meant innovation in how games were played. Also all of those "innovations" have been standard on PC's forever.

Honestly, in 10 or 20 years do you really still want to be sitting on your couch with a controller playing games by pushing buttons ? I hope we're all not.

To be clear I don't own a Wii, or a 360 - PS3. I just don't understand all the irrational Wii hate by so called "pure gamers". If it's not for you, cool. But there are people who enjoy it, and that's all that really matters.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By grath on 1/14/2009 9:35:36 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Honestly, in 10 or 20 years do you really still want to be sitting on your couch with a controller playing games by pushing buttons ? I hope we're all not.


"You mean you have to use your hands? Thats like a babys toy!" It was 2015 in Back to the Future 2, doesnt look like were going to make it.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By fic2 on 1/14/2009 12:21:16 PM , Rating: 2
The wii is great for group play. I am renting a ski condo with a group of people and playing the wii is great. We are still just having fun with wii sports and haven't bothered to even look at other games.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 12:27:25 PM , Rating: 2
Then why rent the ski condo? Wouldn't the point of going to a ski condo be to ski and go outside? Instead you play a game system that could be done at home?

Go play real sports if you want to move around, I hear the graphics are amazing, the game play changes on the fly and the AI is phenomenal!


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Reclaimer77 on 1/14/2009 12:57:42 PM , Rating: 2
Don't forget the new Pain Simulator Engine (tm) for that authentic shattered femur bone sensation ! :P


RE: Proves v=f/c
By Reclaimer77 on 1/14/2009 9:25:36 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
So what are you trying to say, technical inferiority = better gameplay?


The PS2 was a great gaming system first, DVD player as a nice bonus.

The PS3 is a Blu-Ray player that can play games.

To this day there are only 4 games I would even want to play on the PS3. And that's not enough to justify buying one because I frankly could care less about Blu-Ray.

Gamers want great games. PS2 is chocked full of them.


RE: Proves v=f/c
By FaceMaster on 1/15/2009 6:49:05 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Value = Fun / Costs


From this I see that gameplay doesn't equal fun. When I see people playing on the wii, vibrating their hands about in the same way for every game available on it... wtf?

I don't want to spend money on something that takes all the fun out of the masturbation action.


Hmmm
By Tacoloft on 1/13/2009 7:36:49 PM , Rating: 4
Confused Sony rep says, "I wonder why the Playstation 3 is not selling so well?"




RE: Hmmm
By tirminyl on 1/13/2009 7:43:54 PM , Rating: 4
And marketing responds back with, "Five Hundred and Ninety-Nine US Dollars!"


RE: Hmmm
By pwnsweet on 1/13/2009 8:32:46 PM , Rating: 3
That's bound to cause "Massive Damage" to your sales...


RE: Hmmm
By 9nails on 1/13/2009 10:03:49 PM , Rating: 1
PS3 now ships with a "gRumble Pack" since customers (AKA "those suckers who buy anything we ship" at Sony) are likely to bitch and moan about the price and lack of 'A' titles.


RE: Hmmm
By FaceMaster on 1/14/2009 5:25:48 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
That's bound to cause "Massive Damage" to your sales...


How about Shock and Awe?


RE: Hmmm
By shaw on 1/14/2009 8:56:11 AM , Rating: 2
Especially with the economy where it's at right now PS3 attack consumer's wallet for massave damage. PS2 on the other hand is cheap and a backlog of TONS of great games.

Here's an idea Sony, for your next console try a balance between power and affordability.


RE: Hmmm
By Reclaimer77 on 1/14/2009 9:27:38 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Here's an idea Sony, for your next console try a balance between power and affordability.


Yes. And make it a gaming console without trying to also ram their next proprietary media format down the consumers gullets.


RE: Hmmm
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 9:40:24 AM , Rating: 3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc_Associat...

Maybe you need to be reminded they weren't the only ones beginning the format. Phillips and Sony were involved in the initial research and 9 companies, not just Sony were involved in the format itself. How dare they "ram" a format they happen to be involved in down our throats! Next they will want to push OLED and LED backlit screens are way, those BASTARDS!

Additional disk space was needed, get used to it. DVD just doesn't hold enough space anymore for the newer games, higher resolutions and high end sound. I believe it was Rage that they were having problems fitting into 1 DVD and I know Kojima has been quoted more than once as saying he couldn't fit MGS4 on a DVD. Sure, you could use multiple disks on linear games, but switching disks all the time is annoying and would suck on non-linear games. Unfortunately technology comes at a price, but pushing blue laser technology was a good thing and both sides of the format battle had it.


RE: Hmmm
By wempa on 1/14/2009 1:20:08 PM , Rating: 1
I disagree that additional disk space was absolutely needed at this point. While I think BR is a decent next logical step from DVD, game publishers have already said that DVD capacity is not a major concern. Sure, you can make ANY game require more than 9GB. Just keep adding in more cut scenes. In any case, the capacity hasn't been an issue for most of the games out there. For the very few where it is an issue, there are ways around it .... multiple discs or storing a chunk of the data on the HD.


RE: Hmmm
By Reclaimer77 on 1/14/2009 5:19:23 PM , Rating: 2
Disk formats are irrelevant. Digital downloads are the future of consoles. The not so distant future actually.


RE: Hmmm
By wempa on 1/15/2009 12:28:34 PM , Rating: 2
Disk formats may become irrelevant in the future, but they are certainly relevant now . It's very possible that everything moves towards a download distribution, but we still have a way to go before that becomes mainstream. Right now, a person needes to utilize all of their download bandwidth for several hours to download the amount of data on a current game. Also, don't forget about the people who don't have the console hooked up to the internet or don't have internet at all. Right now, physical discs are still the best way to reach the customers.


RE: Hmmm
By FaceMaster on 1/15/2009 6:35:42 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Yes. And make it a gaming console without trying to also ram their next proprietary media format down the consumers gullets.


Who won the war?


RE: Hmmm
By quiksilvr on 1/14/2009 2:48:58 AM , Rating: 3
Don't you mean Three Hundred and Nintety-Nine US Dollars! And free online...that's important.


RE: Hmmm
By BansheeX on 1/14/2009 3:43:12 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
"I wonder why the Playstation 3 is not selling so well?"


Why would he say that? The PS3 is selling at a brisker pace than the 360 at a 2x higher shelf price. That is ridiculously impressive.

TOTAL SALES TO DATE:
360 (nov2005-now) - 28 million (9.1m per year average)
PS3 (nov2006-now) - 20 million (9.6m per year average)


RE: Hmmm
By StevoLincolnite on 1/14/2009 8:36:14 AM , Rating: 2
That would be the complete total utter average sales rate.

However that does not include the recentish price drop on the Xbox 360 Arcade, which apparently has made sales pick up considerably, it's a rather interesting market right now.


RE: Hmmm
By Denithor on 1/14/2009 9:20:44 AM , Rating: 2
That's kinda what I thought, too.

PS3 @ $399
X360 @ $199
PS2 @ $129

Your call...


RE: Hmmm
By BansheeX on 1/14/2009 11:57:51 AM , Rating: 3
If you're interested in blu-ray, netplay, and a hard drive, the PS3 is by far the best value at $400, and that's why it sells.

It would cost you $700 to achieve the same capability for the 360 in a four year ownership model. $200 for netplay fees, $100 for a hard drive, and $200 for a stand-alone blu-ray player.

Shelf price != cost.


RE: Hmmm
By StevoLincolnite on 1/14/2009 10:48:04 PM , Rating: 2
You can get a HDD for $20 through the Xbox Hardware Upgrade website, it's only 20gb but better than a kick up the butt, and it's only $20.

For lower income earners the Xbox might be the better deal financially.
mainly because they don't have to put themselves far out of pocket and instead buy the bits and pieces they want over time.

Plus I'm honestly not interested in Blue-Ray, I get my Video Content streamed from the Internet at 720P resolutions so I'm happy in that regard. (My Tele' is only 720P you see...).

And what is this "Netplay" fees? You mean Xbox Live?

Plus it's not like Arcade is un-capable of playing any Xbox 360 game online and offline, I had my Arcade for a good 6 months playing online happily enough without a hard drive, I bought the machine because:

1) It's cheap.
2) It allowed me to play Video games that targeted my favored Genres. (Sorry Wii, but it didn't work out between us...)
3) I could choose my accessories over time instead of it being forced upon me, hence I "may have" saved some money.
4) Netflix.


RE: Hmmm
By Hiawa23 on 1/14/2009 10:12:29 AM , Rating: 2
I have owned a PS2 since launch, never was of fan of it's bad visuals or hardware, & really can't take the the look of many of it's games today but I think it's pretty impressive what Sony has done with the platform, & why is the console still set at $129? Well, I know why, & I think Sony needs to get the price to $99, bite the bullet with the PS3 & lower that to, as they are already losing money, & I find it almost hilarious, that with the PS2's success it isn't enough to offset the high cost associated with the PS3.

I moved on to this gen back in 05, & all of the current consoles, & maybe play the PS2 once in a while, but it appears the PS3 will not enjoy the same logevity. Sony made huge mistake thinking everyone & their grandma would take on 2nd jobs to pay for the console. Like I said I own a PS3, but it's definitely one of those I wish I did not buy as 360 has been perfect for me, RROD, aside.


PS2 Backward compatibility
By goku on 1/13/2009 9:06:57 PM , Rating: 2
Where is the PS2 backward compatibility in the PS3? They need to add it back or at least give us a time line to when they're going to add it back otherwise I can't see the PS3 doing so well when there is an abundance of PS2 games.




RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Mutz1243 on 1/13/2009 9:15:08 PM , Rating: 2
They had PS2 backward compatibility in the PS3 with the emotion chip but then got rid of it to help bring the price down. The initial 60gb and 20gb PS3's have this.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Calin on 1/14/2009 3:02:11 AM , Rating: 2
On a side note, the European PS3 consoles never had this.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Aloonatic on 1/14/2009 9:57:43 AM , Rating: 2
Doh, I rated you down by mistake, sorry :(

As a European, well UK subject under the Dominion of The Party and our Glorious Leader Gordon Brown who will save us and the world from global collapse etc

Over here, the earlier versions of the PS3 had some mostly software driven (No emotion chip in EU models by the time they eventually reached us and cost us more to buy?) backwards compatibility (there was and may still be a list on the European Play Station website) but I think that newer models have had all backwards compatibility removed now too.

I can't really see the big deal though to be honest. I played GT4 on my PS3 but that was only to see if it worked, which it did. It's surly not that much of an upheaval to plug your PS2 in if you really want to play a PS2 game though? A little inconvenient sure, but not worth making all that much of a fuss over?


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 11:05:42 AM , Rating: 2
If you already have a PS2, might as well use it. Then you aren't required to go buy a memory card reader for your PS3, if you want your old game saves back.

Me, I have the 60 gig PS3 model and I haven't made the plunge to get a memory card reader yet and it's been annoying having to restart some games. I'll probably end up taking the plunge though.

I still keep my PS2 around as many of the games I have, use specific controllers. Beatmania and Taiko no Tatsujin. If those two games started coming out for PS3, I probably wouldn't keep around the PS2 after that.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 11:23:54 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Me, I have the 60 gig PS3 model and I haven't made the plunge to get a memory card reader yet and it's been annoying having to restart some games. I'll probably end up taking the plunge though.


I thought about all that, then I realized how bad PS2 games look on new TVs. I can handle certain low end graphic games, but for some reason PS1 and old PS2 games look absolutely revolting to me now, to the point I can't play them.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 12:07:10 PM , Rating: 2
Most of the PS2 games I still play never were meant to look good anyways. Melty Blood looks like it'd run on a SNES without much difficulty.

The only one that has decent graphics would be OMNI vs ZAFT and OMNI vs ZAFT 2. It doesn't look all that bad on my HDTV. I am annoyed that I had to restart them, as I had so many new suits unlocked.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By AnnihilatorX on 1/14/2009 6:09:29 AM , Rating: 2
I don't see their price much cheaper after the feature reduction compared to buying a brand new PS2 and a PS3.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By an0dize on 1/14/09, Rating: 0
RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Denithor on 1/14/2009 9:26:50 AM , Rating: 1
Then I guess you'll never own a PS3.

While #2 may happen at some point (by accident, most likely, but even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while), Sony - in their infinite wisdom - has decided profit outweighs backwards compatibility and removed the chip that allowed PS2 games to play. And even before they took it out, not all games were supported. So - not gonna happen.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 9:51:16 AM , Rating: 3
Are you under the impression that Sony makes all their own games? Seriously, do you people enjoy games or just hate a console?

Ratchet and Clank
Resistance
Resistance 2
Uncharted
MGS4
Valkyria Chronicles
Folklore
Little Big Planet
Warhawk
Motorstorm

Not to mention all the games like Killzone 2, Uncharted 2, God of War 3, GT5 and many others. I have a feeling some of you just hate Sony and don't really like games. I don't like Microsoft, but I sure as hell would like a lot of games for the 360. Granted I'm not going to buy two consoles, as I barely have enough spare time for one right now, but it has a very solid line up that I would surely play if given the chance.


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Aloonatic on 1/14/2009 10:03:05 AM , Rating: 2
Uncharted is a great game, LBP is over rated however and MGS4 was good but mostly because you could skip the waffle this time around.

There are some good PS3 games for sure, but you're never going to convince the xBox faithful that anything without the word "Gears" in the title is worth playing.

Am I the only person who thinks Warhawk is a truly awful game by the way?


RE: PS2 Backward compatibility
By Gzus666 on 1/14/2009 10:11:56 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Am I the only person who thinks Warhawk is a truly awful game by the way?


Really? I found it to be fun as hell. I haven't played it in a while, but when I did, it was a blast. Updates they put in were really well done as well.

MGS4 was amazing to me, one of the best games I've played in a long time. The weapon load out was great, the new controls were the best of any MGS game and the story was epic.

LBP seems to get better as they add new things. At first I was a bit underwhelmed, but since they added the MGS4 pack and people have started making cool new levels, it has stepped up in fun.

As far as Gears, it was a cool game. Epic makes good stuff, so I can hardly fault them for liking it. Jill of the Jungle and Jazz Jackrabbit were favorites from my youth. Remember when games were just about fun? Man, I miss those days...


Am I one of the 50 million?
By MonkeyPaw on 1/13/2009 7:58:39 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
As time has passed the demographic of who is buying PlayStation 2’s has changed to “young families and lower income play,"


Yup, that's me. I bought my first PS2 a few months ago, used for $60. There are so many used PS2 games to chose from, and most of them are $15 or less. That kind of value is hard to ignore.

On a side note, I wonder of those $50 million, how many have been replacement PS2s--just to get an idea of how many PS2s are still active. Also, I wonder what the buy/sell/trade rate is like. Have people kept a PS2 in the household this whole time?




RE: Am I one of the 50 million?
By rockyct on 1/13/2009 8:43:35 PM , Rating: 2
My PS2 from launch is still working great although my sister is using it now. It was even my main DVD player for about five of those years.


RE: Am I one of the 50 million?
By StevoLincolnite on 1/14/2009 8:43:47 AM , Rating: 2
Me? I have never owned a Playstation in my life. (And never used a PSP or a PS2).

I went straight from the Snes, to the N64, onto the Xbox, then to the Xbox 360.

However, There was this one game called Final Fantasy 8... Which was going to be the sole reason I was going to purchase a PS1, but then it got released on PC.

Anyway, I loved the Nintendo 64, Perfect Dark was awesome with 4 player split screen, with 16 Bots and going nuts with the laptop gun, It actually entertained me right until I got my hands on the first Xbox, which I had to get purely because of Halo 1.


RE: Am I one of the 50 million?
By SlipDizzy on 1/14/2009 9:41:08 AM , Rating: 2
If you were going to buy a PS1 for Final Fantasy 8, then clearly you were buying it for the wrong reason. Final Fantasy 8 was easily the worse Final Fantasy ever created. I think you saved yourself some money and some grief.


By StevoLincolnite on 1/14/2009 10:40:56 PM , Rating: 2
I rather liked it, I hated Final Fantasy 7 and 9, 10 didn't hold me down well enough and pretty much lost interest in the franchise.

80 - 90 hours of solid gameplay that kept me playing!


RE: Am I one of the 50 million?
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 11:25:12 AM , Rating: 2
My PS2 is a 6 month after release model and it still works great. I did buy the latest model Japanese PS2, since the controllers for them don't work well on my Japanese PS3.

I haven't used my US PS2 that much now, as majority of my favorite PS2 games are Japanese. Melty Blood, Guilty Gear, Beatmania, Taiko no Tatsujin, Oneechanbara, etc.

Have looked at replacing my original PS2 with a new model, as they are much smaller. Will probably just end up going the modded way to just have one PS2.


And the Wii had only been out for two years and
By illuvatar81 on 1/13/2009 10:13:15 PM , Rating: 2
it just hit the 43 Million mark.

http://vgchartz.com

Believe it.




By regnez on 1/14/2009 12:06:24 AM , Rating: 3
The Wii has sold 45m worldwide; this article is talking about PS2 sales in NA alone. At 21m in NA, the Wii has quite a ways to go before it reaches 50m.


It's the games
By kyleb2112 on 1/13/2009 7:55:16 PM , Rating: 2
Used PS2 games start around 5 bucks and you've got a week to exchange a game for anything else if you don't like it. Gamestop had entire WALLS of them to choose from. If you're not a graphics hound it's the best deal going. Hell, pirating games takes more effort. I just bought a PS2 for 60 bucks, stuck in an old HD and now I can sell it for twice that when I'm done with it.




RE: It's the games
By threepac3 on 1/13/2009 8:57:42 PM , Rating: 2
I'm still trying to complete Final Fantasy 12 on my spare time.


Ummm...?
By Rhl on 1/13/09, Rating: -1
RE: Ummm...?
By read carefully on 1/13/2009 7:30:24 PM , Rating: 5
43 million in the USA, 50 million in North America. NA includes more than the USA...


RE: Ummm...?
By Jansen (blog) on 1/13/2009 7:35:41 PM , Rating: 2
Don't forget the Mexicans as well.


RE: Ummm...?
By aurareturn on 1/13/2009 7:30:27 PM , Rating: 3
U.S. isn't the only country in North America.


RE: Ummm...?
By TSS on 1/13/2009 8:44:00 PM , Rating: 5
http://i8.tinypic.com/6h89yes.gif

i'm sorry i couldn't resist :D that gif's been around the internet a long time and his reaction prompted a recall of it :P good times.


RE: Ummm...?
By SlyNine on 1/13/2009 9:51:18 PM , Rating: 2
Just the only important one,

I kid, I kid.


RE: Ummm...?
By Kromis on 1/13/2009 7:30:49 PM , Rating: 3
Well, it said 50 million PS2s sold in North America .

I take it you don't like Canadians, eh? :)


RE: Ummm...?
By afkrotch on 1/14/2009 12:17:59 PM , Rating: 2
43 million sold in the US and 7 million sold in canada/Mexico. Wasn't exactly a huge chunk of sales for both countries.


RE: Ummm...?
By Kromis on 1/13/2009 7:31:44 PM , Rating: 2
Lol, we all replied within 30 seconds of each other


RE: Ummm...?
By chick0n on 1/13/09, Rating: 0
"A politician stumbles over himself... Then they pick it out. They edit it. He runs the clip, and then he makes a funny face, and the whole audience has a Pavlovian response." -- Joe Scarborough on John Stewart over Jim Cramer











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