Playstation 2 Discontinued In Japan After 13 Years
After over a dozen years of faithful service, the Playstation 2 has been officially discontinued in Japan. Sony reportedly stopped shipping the console on December 28.
The Playstation 2 launched in March of 2000. According to Kotaku, Sony’s long-lasting console has sold over 150 million units over the past 13 years. While the machine still enjoyed some success in the States following the release of the PS3, the Playstation 2 remains quite popular in Japan.
The console’s longevity has helped it become the biggest selling home video game console in the history of gaming. This includes the likes of the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Atari 2600.
Geekosystem reports that developers are still working on games for the Playstation 2. The folks at Square Enix are in the process of unleashing the Japan exclusive the Final Fantasy XI expansion Seekers of Adoulin into the marketplace next year.
In 2008, Neilson ratings showed that the Playstation 2 was still the most played console in the United States. This was after Sony’s Playstation 3 had been sitting on retail shelves for nearly two years. The ability to hold strong during the new generation is a testament to the console’s strength.
According to Ars Technica, Sony continued to support the Playstation 2 while struggling to get the PS3 into the homes of gamers around the world. In fact, the console continues to remain popular thanks to the nearly 10,000 titles in the machine’s catalog.
Not surprisingly, some gamers are saddened by the news that Sony will discontinue the Playstation 2 in Japan. A number of individuals have taken to Twitter to give the console a proper farewell.
“Sony officially ceased production of the PlayStation 2 today. Rest in peace, my friend,” one user tweeted.
“R.I.P Playstation 2. You were the best system out there,” another user wrote.
If you’ve never owned a Playstation 2, you can still pick up one on Amazon for around $150. Do you have any fond memories about Sony’s beloved console?
