DailyTech - Sony to Bring White PlayStation 2 Console This Holiday

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Marcus Yam (Blog) - August 30, 2007 8:03 AM

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33 comment(s) - last by Master Kenobi.. on Aug 31 at 8:25 AM

The PS2 Slim all dressed in white (Source: SCEA)

Such a PS2 will have to come as part of this bundle (Source: SCEA)

Sony is dreaming of a ceramic white PS2 Christmas

Although the PlayStation 2 is clearly a last-generation gaming system, it is still capturing the playtime and dollars of present day gamers. Sony knows that the PS2 is still hot item, and is bringing out a limited edition console that is ceramic white in color.

Coming this November will be a special white PS2 bundled with SingStar Pop and two USB microphones. SingStar Pop, the American take of the immensely popular SCEE franchise, features tracks from Alicia Keys, U2, Rihanna, Ashlee Simpson, The All-American Rejects, The Clash and more.

The bundle will will be available in the U.S. for a suggested retail price of $149.99. The package will also be offered in Canada for $159.99.

"With our expansive library of titles for PlayStation, led by social gaming experiences such as SingStar, and Buzz!, we have an incredible offering for first-time gaming families," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "At $149, the limited edition Ceramic White PlayStation 2, bundled with the family-friendly social gaming title, SingStar Pop, is an unbeatable value that will provide fun for everyone this holiday."

The latest sales data from NPD Group show that the PS2 is still considerably outselling the newer PlayStation 3 by a considerable margin, even after the recent PS3 $100 price drop. During July, the PS2 sold 222,000 units while the PS3 sold 159,000 for the month.

A report from Nielsen GamePlay Metrics finds that as much as 42 percent of all console use was on the PS2, showing that console’s continued relevance.

According to Sony, the PS2 has an installed base of more than 117 million worldwide with 44 million in North America alone. A further 10 million PlayStation 2 units are expected to be sold worldwide by the end of March 2008.

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When in doubt, stick it out.

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 8/30/2007 8:12:46 AM , Rating: 3

Can't push the new one fast enough? Continue pushing the old one even faster....

Well atleast its a known quantity, we know what it can do, it has a huge library of games and its relatively cheap. Can't go wrong with that. This should allow Sony to subsidize the PS3 better if they are still making cash hand over fist on the ever popular PS2, it will make the financial hit less painful on the PS3 since sales there are still slow.

RE: When in doubt, stick it out.

By Gul Westfale on 8/30/2007 8:14:49 AM , Rating: 3

wouldn't it have made more sense to offer a white PS3 instead?

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RE: When in doubt, stick it out.

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 8/30/2007 8:23:15 AM , Rating: 2

Except they can't sell the PS3's already rotting on shelves.

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RE: When in doubt, stick it out.

By jtesoro on 8/31/2007 6:22:15 AM , Rating: 4

Hah, no way. If you can find one that's been on a shelf for more than 5 minutes, I'll give you $1200 for it.

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RE: When in doubt, stick it out.

By brshoemak on 8/30/2007 8:23:42 AM , Rating: 4

quote:
wouldn't it have made more sense to offer a white PS3 instead?

Not when Sony is most likely sitting on a pile of black PS3's in inventory or a large amount still floating around the retail channel. I would imagine they would do better to offer incentives to start moving those units and regain some revenue before moving on and ordering X number of new white components. Besides, by now they are probably making a profit on the PS2 hardware, they can eat the cost of the startup costs to change colors in return for higher sales of a gimmick.

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RE: When in doubt, stick it out.

By omnicronx on 8/30/2007 9:56:23 AM , Rating: 5

Sony obviously realizes with the success of the Wii that there is still a market for the ps2 if they can get into the family gaming market. Interactive games like the one bundled with this deal, and games like guitar hero are hot sellers right now and Sony probably wants to jump on the bandwagon as soon as they can with their floundering ps3 sales.

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RE: When in doubt, stick it out.

By Alexstarfire on 8/30/2007 3:48:37 PM , Rating: 2

Yep, they basically have to keep pushing the PS2's since they are profitable, I'm hoping they are at least since they are so old now, and the PS3 isn't even close to being profitable. They have to gain money back somehow. It's sad to see a console that "technologically inferior" beat the PS3 in sales. Goes to show Sony, yet again, that technology in a console means crap. I mean, their own old console is beating there new one AFTER A PRICE DROP. How sad is that?

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Installed base bullocks

By Shadowmaster625 on 8/30/2007 12:49:04 PM , Rating: 1

I happen to know of 5 PS2s that don't even work. In reality, 50 million of those 117 million have probably already been scrapped or recycled.

RE: Installed base bullocks

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 8/30/2007 1:22:50 PM , Rating: 2

Yea, thats the problem with it. They sold 117 million over the life of the console. However 50% are likely in the scrapheap for dieing.

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RE: Installed base bullocks

By Loc13 on 8/30/2007 5:26:18 PM , Rating: 2

Source please?

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RE: Installed base bullocks

By Locutus465 on 8/30/2007 11:44:15 PM , Rating: 2

can't vouch for the numbers, but almost all my friends that have a play station have had them wear out on them and had to buy new ones... DVD drive seemed to be the main issue as the stories were related to me.

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RE: Installed base bullocks

By Timeless on 8/31/2007 3:33:54 AM , Rating: 2

quote:
They sold 117 million over the life of the console. However 50% are likely in the scrapheap for dieing.

Your numbers are off base. Sony sold 117 million PS2 over the span of 7 years. To say that 50% of those 117 millions are defective is just a flat out lie. Sony did have problems during the 1st and 2nd years but the problems got worked out around the 3rd. So I would think that it is more like 50% of the 1st and 2nd years batch were defective, not 50% of the total number of consoles sold. That would be like saying the Xbox360 had a defective rate of 30% since the time it was launched until the time Microsoft stop selling them.

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RE: Installed base bullocks

By Master Kenobi

(blog) on 8/31/2007 8:25:36 AM , Rating: 1

I didn't say defective now did I? I said they were in the scrap heap. Possible reasons why.

-DVD Drive wore out
-Over heating
-Power Surge
-Someone kicked it
-Someone dropped it
-Someone spilled liquid on it
-It got old, dusty, and burned up
-DVD got jammed inside and they broke the console getting it out
-Snapped off the DVD tray
-Handled badly in a move and it doesnt function anymore
-Electrical shortage
-ETC!!!

I'm not saying they are defective, I'm saying the average life span of a well used console is only 3-4 years before it breaks down for one reason or another. Shit doesnt last forever.

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RE: Installed base bullocks

By exdeath on 8/30/2007 3:52:58 PM , Rating: 2

While I know of a few PS2s that stopped working, it's ironic that I still have my original build tray loading built on the month of release PS2 running just fine, and it's mod chipped and been beaten and abused and overheated and hard locked with newb code when I was into home brew on that system...

The only issue with it is that the face plate of the drive tray broke off from wear and tear opening and closing so many thousands of times.

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RE: Installed base bullocks

By exdeath on 8/30/2007 3:54:53 PM , Rating: 2

I don't remember what V# it is but it's old enough that it has IEEE 1394 and USB ;)

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RE: Installed base bullocks

By zerocool84 on 8/30/2007 5:55:12 PM , Rating: 2

Mine has stopped working for 2 years and mine is one of the original ones and has DRE with every game. I havent played a PS2 in so long. I need to finish Metal Gear 3 and FF12. I'll prolly buy one of these since it looks slick and will look good next to my Wii.

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Apples vs. Oranges

By peritusONE on 8/30/2007 8:36:03 AM , Rating: 1

quote:
The latest sales data from NPD Group show that the PS2 is still considerably outselling the newer PlayStation 3 by a considerable margin, even after the recent PS3 $100 price drop. During July, the PS2 sold 222,000 units while the PS3 sold 159,000 for the month.

This is a invalid point, and shouldn't even be posted. They are in completely different price ranges and technology brackets. I'm typically pro-360 when it comes to consoles, but selling 159k PS3's during a slow July month at $499 is definitely an achievement in itself.

RE: Apples vs. Oranges

By shift432 on 8/30/2007 8:46:06 AM , Rating: 2

Then it's probably an invalid point to compare XBOX 360/PS3 with the Wii, as they are very different when it comes to price and especially hardware abilities.

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RE: Apples vs. Oranges

By mdogs444 on 8/30/2007 8:50:28 AM , Rating: 2

The sales numbers increased because of the $100 price drop. When this months figures are released next month - well see if Microsofts numbers increase due to their price drops, and if the PS3's number decrease due to the initial rush for the price drop is now over.

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...

By acer905 on 8/30/2007 8:39:01 AM , Rating: 2

One of these days i might actually break down and buy a ps2... Though i think a nice electric blue one would be so much cooler than a white one. Or a deep metallic cherry red...

RE: ...

By SirLucius on 8/30/2007 12:27:06 PM , Rating: 2

I was in Hong Kong earlier this month and they had legitimate electric blue PSP's for sale. The things looked so cool I was tempted to grab one, but I realized they were the older, thicker model PSP's. I wish they'd bring some of the color options you find in the Asian market to the US - a blue or red option would be pretty sweet.

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Pretty, but...

By frombauer on 8/30/2007 8:51:25 AM , Rating: 2

Too bad it's coming only on a bundle with that hideous game. Otherwise I'd be tempted to pick one up as a backup for my still running strong V7.

PS2 Still kicking

By TimberJon on 8/30/2007 11:42:43 AM , Rating: 2

I have two slim PS2s at home and am going to be getting a new one to put right next to my PC at work, and hook my Adaptec Gamebridge up to it. With dual screens, I can RPG on one screen and work on the other at leisure.

Although I narrow my eyes at this new addition to the family. Who is making the components? how many different companies are involved? quality control? How will this new embodiment stand up to normal wear? How many corners did they cut? Or did they overengineer it a bit more so that it CERTAINLY would stand up to abuse, to help solidify future purchases of PS3s? Im skeptical. But I do belive they should put the PS2 up to the same rugged test they put the PS3 against. Hot, cold, continuous playing, Etc..

Being small and having a smaller internal volume, I would think it would heat up less, but cool down more, possibly affecting the unit more than the robust PS3.

Liquid Paper = $4

By spindoc on 8/30/2007 5:28:13 PM , Rating: 2

If I wanted white two bottles of liquid paper should do it.

Seriously, white controllers around cigarettes, Doritos, Coke, pizza, etc.... ummmm no.

White...huh?

By afkrotch on 8/30/2007 10:28:45 PM , Rating: 2

I never understood making consoles white. How many ppl out there have white electronics in their entertainment areas? My TV and VCR (ya...still got that vhs porn) are black. My DVD player and stereo are silver. My PS3 is black. Then the out of place Xbox 360 in white (repainted to match my white faceplate, also beige is ugly).

White is nice and all, but why doesn't Sony put out white tvs, dvd players, stereos, etc, so they can all match. Shoot, make my Cybershot white while they are at it.

Again USA is a place for reselling the craps from all parts of the World?

By EclipsedAurora on 8/31/2007 5:01:38 AM , Rating: 2

My god, this white PS2 had been launched in Asia Pacific nearly 3 yrs ago as limited edition, and discontinued more than 2 yrs ago.

Does the...

By daBKLYNdoorman on 8/30/2007 9:27:11 AM , Rating: 1

Does the chick in the thumbnail picture come with the white PS2?

PS2 still?

By HardwareD00d on 8/30/2007 11:29:52 AM , Rating: 1

Wouldn't it be in Sony's best interest to discontinue the PS2 and focus on the PS3? Pushing last gen technology doesn't make much sense when they could just have a "value" version of the PS3 at a similar price point.

Doh, but they removed the emotion chip (PS2 engine) to lower production costs of the PS3, so you don't get the backwards compatibility in PS3 like it was originally designed to have.

Sony, what ARE you doing? I can't figure you out.