Sony Confirms PS2 Is Best-Selling Console Of All Time With Over 160M Units Sold
Every generation, there are some products that define the era and just sell like hotcakes. They hit the right blend of price, performance, and desirability amongst consumers. Sony's PlayStation 2 is one such product, confirmed by the company to have sold a staggering 160 million units. Released on October 26th of 2000 in the US, it came after the Japanese launch in March of that same year.
Hot on the heels of the original PlayStation, it surely had some big shoes to fill. The original PlayStation came onto the scene to compete with no other than Nintendo and Sega, the two powerhouse juggernauts of the era. Sega was previously doing well with its Sonic-infused Sega Genesis, but had somewhat faltered with its expensive Sega Saturn. Nintendo mostly stayed in its own lane, with the N64 followed by its ubiquitous GameCube console. The Nintendo DS and Switch, both handhelds, come close within a few million of the sales number put up by Sony.
Hot on the heels of the original PlayStation, it surely had some big shoes to fill. The original PlayStation came onto the scene to compete with no other than Nintendo and Sega, the two powerhouse juggernauts of the era. Sega was previously doing well with its Sonic-infused Sega Genesis, but had somewhat faltered with its expensive Sega Saturn. Nintendo mostly stayed in its own lane, with the N64 followed by its ubiquitous GameCube console. The Nintendo DS and Switch, both handhelds, come close within a few million of the sales number put up by Sony.
What made the PlayStation 2 such a popular console for such a long time? First, it had an excellent DVD player, which captured an even wider audience. Sony would later repeat this with the Blu-ray player in its expensive PlayStation 3, which remained a solid reason for many who bought the console. Both DVD players and Blu-ray players were expensive during their respective times, making some of the cost of the PlayStation console seem more reasonable.
Secondly, the Emotion Engine was the CPU that gave gamers the graphics that they loved. The most notable reason was also the expansive library Sony had, starting with its original PlayStation. Publishers just flocked to the PlayStation for its ease of use and massive player base, and thus the best games typically came out on PlayStation.
The console itself also underwent several iterations and changes during its lifetime, with slim version, and other color options becoming available. Sony also breached into online gaming in 2001 for the first time, an industry that would become a mammoth in the early 21st century.
Another huge boon for the PS2 was the fact Sony made it backwards compatible with its original PS1. This meant you could reuse your library of games on the console, and even buy cheaper used copies of classic games. This flexibility just made the PS2 seemed like a great buy, offering value to the consumer that many consoles fail to match.
Games like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus further cemented the PS2 as a powerhouse system, being enjoyed by gamers for many years.
Secondly, the Emotion Engine was the CPU that gave gamers the graphics that they loved. The most notable reason was also the expansive library Sony had, starting with its original PlayStation. Publishers just flocked to the PlayStation for its ease of use and massive player base, and thus the best games typically came out on PlayStation.
The console itself also underwent several iterations and changes during its lifetime, with slim version, and other color options becoming available. Sony also breached into online gaming in 2001 for the first time, an industry that would become a mammoth in the early 21st century.
Another huge boon for the PS2 was the fact Sony made it backwards compatible with its original PS1. This meant you could reuse your library of games on the console, and even buy cheaper used copies of classic games. This flexibility just made the PS2 seemed like a great buy, offering value to the consumer that many consoles fail to match.
Games like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus further cemented the PS2 as a powerhouse system, being enjoyed by gamers for many years.
