Frankly, we're underwhelmed with this "big" announcement. While the US$30 off is a small boon to the consumer, brand new A-list PlayStation 2 games are few and far between. That's not to discount the PS2's great games, like God of War, Grand Theft Auto and Metal Gear Solid -- but for someone wanting to ride the bleeding edge of gaming, this still seems like a blow-off for fans clamoring for a more affordable PlayStation 3.
SCEA President Jack Tretton says the drop is due to PlayStation 2's "strong" demand throughout the world and "Sony's commitment to platforms that deliver 10-year product lifecycles."
In 2008, the PlayStation 2 sold roughly 2.1 million systems in the U.S., not too far behind the PlayStation 3, with 3.6 million. Many blame Sony's lagging PlayStation 3 sales to expensive hardware, especially compared to Nintendo's wallet-friendly systems, and exclusive games that don't generate the same buzz as those for Xbox 360 and Wii.
As an FYI, here's NPD's U.S. console sales data for 2008. Of course, Wii's on top, and the two PlayStations are bringing up the rear.
1. Wii - 10,224,400
2. Nintendo DS - 9,951,500
3. Xbox 360 - 4,735,200
4. PSP - 3,829,300
5. PlayStation 3 - 3,685,000
6. PlayStation 2 - 2,106,100
Is the PlayStation, the former king of the consoles doomed? NPD analyst Anita Frasier says that we shouldn't start a PlayStation death watch just yet.
"We're still seeing the PS3 business ramp up and that the story is going to take a little longer to unfold this generation than in previous cycles," Frasier says in a recent GameDaily interview. "Sony is a formidable presence in this industry ... I think we're just going to have to wait and see how 2009 unfolds."
In the meantime, we'll be waiting.
