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SCEA Confirms PS2 Price Drop To $99

When we learned that today's announcement couldn't possibly be a price drop for the PlayStation 3, we were about 90% certain it would instead be a price cut for the system's predecessor. And so it is.

Today, Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced that as of tomorrow, April 1, the PS2 will drop to the deliciously agreeable price of $99.99. The most popular video game console in history has reached the 136 million worldwide sell-in mark, and its immense library of titles has swelled to around 1,900 in a little over 9 years. Said Jack Tretton, SCEA president and CEO:

"PlayStation 2 set the industry standard for worldwide mass market adoption and is a clear embodiment of Sony's commitment to platforms that deliver 10-year product lifecycles. It's a tribute to outstanding technology, great consumer value and unprecedented development support that we've now been able to do twice what no one else has ever accomplished. Demand for PlayStation 2 remains strong throughout the world, and the new $99 price point will bring in new consumers who will discover how PlayStation platforms are an outstanding choice for their gaming and home entertainment needs. Just as PlayStation 2 is delivering on a 10-year lifecycle and helped expand and solidify the DVD format for home entertainment along the way, we believe PLAYSTATION 3 offers the same promise by helping secure the Blu-ray format and delivering unprecedented value as the total home entertainment solution for the next decade."

SCEA says they will keep supporting the PS2 with even more new titles "that appeal to families and casual gamers looking for social entertainment experiences." If you're looking for some great deals out there, over 250 titles are now under the Greatest Hits umbrella, making them extremely cheap, relatively speaking. The press release further reminds us of the role the PS2 has played in establishing the widespread popularity of many of the leading franchises in the industry today; Metal Gear Solid , Guitar Hero , Final Fantasy , God of War , Ratchet and Clank , Gran Turismo , etc.

The release concludes by saying the PS2 "remains the most played computer entertainment system on the market." According to a December 2008 Nielsen report, the PS2 became the first console in the industry's history to hit the 50 million sell-in unit sales plateau in North America…and now that it's at $99, you will probably see the last surge of hardware sales. This is a legendary machine, indeed, and now it's at a budget price in the world of game consoles. If for whatever bizarre reason you don't have one, now's the time. Remember, your PS3 likely doesn't boast backwards compatibility for PS2 titles…and you know you still wanna play 'em.

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telly
telly
14 years ago

Lame.

Karosso
Karosso
14 years ago

I second that!

crapreviews
crapreviews
14 years ago

people knew for almost a week that a ps2 price cut was coming.

thing is… if this is what Sony calls a "big" or "Global" announcement…. shame on them.

I mean let's be real. this ps2 price cut will help like what… couple of thousand people maybe? i mean the ps2 is 10 years old.

im sure most people want more announcements related to ps3, not ps2. I myself have no interest, no interest in all at playing ps2 games. heck, every time a new ps system came out i always sold the old one and got the new one. i've done that since Coleco Vision. (sure i spelled that wrong)


Last edited by crapreviews on 3/31/2009 10:43:56 AM

The Stig
The Stig
14 years ago

Its not even global. The UK isnt getting a price drop.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

Dummies did call it "global" tho

Jordahn
Jordahn
14 years ago

This is great and all. But since SONY decided to make a pre-announcement, they could have at least specified that it was PS2 related to begin with. That would have cut down on the unneeded hype. It's not SONY's job to do so, but they could have very easily have done so. Nothing wrong with pushing the PS2. I just hope that this will radically push sales out the door to justify the price drop. If this were to occur, I think SONY should be obligated to repackage their 1st/2nd party games as an incentive to consumers to keep supporting the PS2. A bundled Jak & Daxter and/or a bundled Sly Cooper for $25 for three games will help the software push along with the hardware push while exposing more consumers to their franchises. I just hope the PS2 price drop will undoubtedly be justified.

maxpontiac
maxpontiac
14 years ago

This isn't the announcement is it?

If so, that sucks.

Alienange
Alienange
14 years ago

New prices come into effect tomorrow. This is one elaborate joke.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
14 years ago

Everyone needs to understand something: this really ISN'T for the hardcore gamers. Obviously, it's not. The gamers already have a PS2; Sony is well aware of this.

This is for the casual gaming crowd as indicated by the part of the press release explaining the drive for more socially-oriented games on the system. There are many people out there who are just getting into video games and aren't hardcore; they don't have the money or the motivation to purchase a next-gen console. But the PS2 at $99 would be a perfect option for the millions who haven't yet tested the gaming waters too heavily.

The Wii has swelled the ranks of the mainstream casual gaming crowd around the world and in general, the vast majority of people with game systems in their homes these days aren't like you guys. You all have to realize…these days, YOU are in the vast minority. The people that actually go to video game sites and take the time to make posts. Get what I mean? 😉


Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 3/31/2009 10:52:42 AM

Alienange
Alienange
14 years ago

You know, maybe that rumored Sony motion controller is for the PS2 … then they'd have a Wii equivalent on the market for 100 bux! Now that'd stick it to the Gamecube2. Maybe this gen will be defined by PS2 and PS3 coexisting.

crapreviews
crapreviews
14 years ago

I'm not saying that a ps2 price drop is a bad thing for those that it will help decide on getting the system. i can understand why they would want to focus on those "casual gamers" out there into family gaming and things.

i just think Sony themselves needs to be a little more transparent. i mean if you are going to have a "global" announcement for the ps2, then make it known that this announcement is for the ps2. when Sony says "global" announcement, MOST people are going to assume it's for the ps3, which is the current system that MOST gamers care about.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
14 years ago

You're still talking about the vast minority. 99.99% of the earth didn't know about any global announcement, and the only people who said it was big or "massive" was the media (starting with Kotaku).

As far as I can tell, Sony simply said they had some news to announce for today. As is typically the case on the Internet, it quickly got blown out of proportion.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
14 years ago

Exactly, and this is one of the elements of current gaming on PS3 and especially the 360 that seems to me to be a problem. Hardcore gamers want features like cross game voice chat, and multi-player online head to head or team based play (typically in fps/third person action games). But these are not the things that sell to the majority of video game player. I hesitate to use the word casual, but I think that what the industry has lost sight of is the single player game, and the multiple player on one console game. Split screen racing, or co-op on a single console. Single player elements of games have in many cases shrunk in favor of adding all these online features, that a tiny minority of players actually use. Case in point – Gran Turismo 4. A great single player game, that was absolutely castigated for lacking online play. Never mind that it offers the very best single player racing game on the PS2 and can even push progressive scan output and 1080i output – on a PS2.

I like this announcement, Sony knows that the bread and butter gamers are the ones owning PS2s and Wii consoles right now. They know that many of those people growing up will be looking to PS3 in a year or two or three. I can only hope that Sony's focus with the PS3 is the social aspects of online gaming rather than the hardcore head to head combat, and that they really push the depth of single player and multi-player on a single console types of content, because that is what these PS2 and Wii owners are looking for. Games must be what they once were, more of a pick up and play, and less of a mammoth gaming session with online buddies.

Leave Microsoft to cater to the beer swilling online multi-player shooter junkies that they essentially created with the original Xbox and Halo, the rest of the gaming market is so much more valuable and varied.


Last edited by TheHighlander on 3/31/2009 11:10:02 AM

Jordahn
Jordahn
14 years ago

Ben, I just gave you a "thumbs up" because sadly, true hardcore gamers are in the minority, and it seems to be getting like that more and more. I have to look at the silver lining here that if the push for PS2 support will help SONY's gaming division in general, I just hope it will allow them to push what they can on the PS3 and the PSP for the hardcore gamer.

THEVERDIN
THEVERDIN
14 years ago

I was hoping for something concerning the PS3.

shindelion
shindelion
14 years ago

I second that thought. They made it seem like it's something BIG!

Cavan
Cavan
14 years ago

my ps3 does support backwards compatibility… so am sorted, disapointing really, would of hoped for a ps3 price, i can understand the arguements of why not too, but xbox has just done another price drop, this time on the elite in the uk, there pricing range is 129 169 and 199, for the 3 models, the ps3 is 299, now i know better, so i kno with the hidden costs the ps3 is much better value but alot of parents who cas pick up the 60gb version for nearly half the price of a ps3, would surely just buy that, sony are very very lucky that MS built a crappy console ( reliabilty wise ) otherwise they would of crushed sony this gen. Sony just arnt competitive in pricing compared to the competition, until they are i expect them to trail in 3rd place for quite a while.

TheHighlander
TheHighlander
14 years ago

Waiting for the other shoe to drop.

OK Sony, you dropped the price of the PS2 to it's final price point. Now, pave the way for those folks on PS2 to move on up to PS3 without losing their investment in games. Add PS2 game compatibility back into the PS3. The time is right. Perhaps not Firmware 2.7, but how's about a massive update with 3.0?

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

Good point, it's like I said before, lots of people would rather sell that 100 dollar PS2, get maybe 50 or 60 out of it and then put that towards a PS3 if they want to upgrade. Not everyone is like us and collects consoles.

Cavan
Cavan
14 years ago

What ben just posted sorta backs up what am trying to say, for the first time gamer market, u can either buy a ps2 for 99dollas or buy an xbox arcade, and have hd gaming for a little more ( not sure on the american price for the console but i dont think its much more) the ps2 i think is in competition with the arcade for the casual market, and i think even the casual market, even young kids who are just buying there 1st console, if they ahd a choice xbox arcade or ps2, they would know the xbox is newer and therefore they would buy that when theres not much of a price diff

slugga_status
slugga_status
14 years ago

This was really weak by Sony. I mean why hype it up as if it's something that will blow our socks off. Then turn around and say "hey PS2 for $99." Real lame.

psxmax
psxmax
14 years ago

Wow, this is how Sony gives us backwards capability. I have a big announcement, Sony's PR department blows big chunks.


Last edited by psxmax on 3/31/2009 11:04:10 AM

The Stig
The Stig
14 years ago

Sony said that they wouldn't be giving us backwards compatability so how is Sony's PR blowing chunks?

psxmax
psxmax
14 years ago

I was being sarcastic (instead of them giving us b/c they give us a price cut on the PS2). Sony's PR or who ever said they had a big announcement and this is what they give us.

By the way, when is TG coming back on? I saw a clip with the Black Stig coming out of the ocean.

The Stig
The Stig
14 years ago

Sorry, I misunderstood.

Dunno about TG, I haven't seen any clips about the black stig. lol, I knew he couldn't really be dead.

Karosso
Karosso
14 years ago

They just want to try and still some of the Wii's thunder with the cheap PS2!
Let the PS2 rest in peace and get the PS3 on all 12 cylinders already!
I hardly see any advertising for the PS3, or any of its games. Just get your act together Sony…
This could be the year you take the crown back, don't take your eyes off the ball!

offshore
offshore
14 years ago

This is a complete anti-climax in every sense of the word.

By announcing this announcement things were only going to culminate into the frustration of many gamers who wanted something bigger announced i.e. a PS3 drop, or an exclusive, or new firmware.

If they had just said nothing and just announced the PS2 drop out of the blue it would have been a pleasant surprise.

Granted, it probably won't have silenced the people who wanted a PS3 drop, but it only makes it worse to drum up something which does not justify a pre-announcement.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
14 years ago

No. You're viewing this wrong. Read my previous post above.

If YOU feel let down, it has nothing whatsoever to do with Sony. It's just that you gave into artificial hype, NOT constructed by Sony.


Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 3/31/2009 11:06:32 AM

offshore
offshore
14 years ago

I've got to disagree with you Ben.

"this really ISN'T for the hardcore gamers"….then why tip a dedicated gaming site in Kotaku about it?

Hardcore gamers do read Kotaku; non-hardcore gamers probably don't, so who were/are Sony trying to reach by tipping Kotaku and Smart House and announcing things on the PlayStation Blog?

It certainly won't be non hardcore gamers.

You only have to look at the negative comments posted on the PS Blog…those gamers were well aware that something was happening…because they read about it on dedicated gaming sites.

PS2 sales may now improve, but this is a PR blunder by Sony.

offshore
offshore
14 years ago

Hopefully E3 will bring better PR and news.


Last edited by offshore on 3/31/2009 11:19:39 AM

Jordahn
Jordahn
14 years ago

@ Offshore

I agree that non-hardcore gamers normally do not read gaming websites. Since this is the case and using your logic, why report anything casual gaming news related on any site??? You've gotta reported it somewhere. You're making excuses.

The Stig
The Stig
14 years ago

Sorry Ben, gotta agree with Offshore on this one. By Sony saying "hey, we are gonna make an announcment on tuesday" what did they expect was gonna happen. Of course the hype was gonna build. They should have just kept quiet about it til today.

dso8515
dso8515
14 years ago

Yeah I've got to agree here too. Yes, hardcore gamers are in the minority compared to everyone else. This announcement was definitely geared towards casual gamers, we can all agree on that. Casual gamers aren't ones to search the internet every day for a possible announcement coming from Sony about a PS3 price drop or some other information concerning the PS3. Like someone else said, Sony could have just announced a PS2 price cut today without any advance info about a "big announcement" happening today. Kind of short-sighted on Sony's part in my opinion.

Alienange
Alienange
14 years ago

You guys are all assuming that a PS2 price drop is not interesting to a "hard core" gamer. That it's a let down some how. Sorry, but "hard core" gamers are the ones who break PS2s. The ones who buy a second PS2 for the cottage. They're also the ones who talk others into getting a console of their own. Sony's PR hit the target my friends. As soon as you tell your non "hard core" friends about it, the online announcement has done it's job.

yak4life85
yak4life85
14 years ago

If we didnt get a ps3 price drop we should had got at least a new firmware update with new browser!

telly
telly
14 years ago

@Ben, no one is arguing a lower price point for PS2 sucks. We're annoyed Sony announced an announcement days in advance and that it was underwhelming when it came. Sony should absolutely take note of Nintendo's policies — courting the casual crowd is fine, but if you go overboard like Nintendo you alienate us hardcore mofos. Get paid, Sony, get paid. But don't expect me or anyone on this kind of board to cheer lame announcements like these.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
14 years ago

Yeah, that's the thing. They DIDN'T "announce an announcement days in advance." No official representative stepped forward and said any such thing.

The info was leaked by Kotaku initially, and it spiraled from there. Sony clearly had no intention of saying anything until this press release.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

But when they contacted a gomer-site like Kotaku, did they REALLY think this cat wouldn't be let out of the bag?

Daedusian
Daedusian
14 years ago

I hope this is the last PS2 announcement from Sony for.ev.er.

556pineapple
556pineapple
14 years ago

There will probably be one more at least, that's when they'll announce they ceased production on the PS2, as they did with the PS1 3 years ago.

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
14 years ago

Yeah, there WAS a time when ALL gamers were hardcore.

That was like…1987, tho. 🙁

crapreviews
crapreviews
14 years ago

ahhh the good old days 🙂

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
14 years ago

I was so hardcore I owned every Mario, even the one on Atari!!

telly
telly
14 years ago

Ben: so you're saying Sony DIDN'T notify the gaming press ahead of time that they would make an announcement today? because Kotaku and others sure are reporting Sony tipped them to a March 31 announcement. If Sony didn't want them to report it ahead of time, they could have merely said "embargoed" and the "news" would have stayed quiet until today.

From Kotaku:

"Sony dropped Kotaku a line to let us know that something is going down on Tuesday, March 31st. Could it be the long-rumored price cut is finally upon us?"

http://kotaku.com/5187660/what-is-sony-announcing-on-tuesday

From Smarthouse:
"Big PS3 Announcement Tipped This Week "

http://www.smarthouse.com.au/Gaming/Industry/E8V5R9D3

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
14 years ago

You're not getting this. Sony doesn't just "drop one specific source a line" if they want to announce something. All that means is that a Sony rep let something slip; there was no official press release because that goes to every source.

The press release we got today is the first official word on the matter. That's all.

zerostar39
zerostar39
14 years ago

what if tomorrow they are like "April fools! The ps3 gets a price cut too!"

I highly doubt it but it'd be cool

telly
telly
14 years ago

Now THAT'S how you do an announcement!

crawdaddy
crawdaddy
14 years ago

As another post said, "This is lame". Everyone already knew this. It has been on every other game site for days. Besides, the whole world already owns ps2's. This is not likely to produce a jump in sales like lowering the price on the ps3 would have. A reasonable price of 299.00 on the ps3 would double or even triple ps3 sales. The whole world wants a ps3 but can't afford to pay, or are just unwilling to pay what most see as too high of a price. It should have been ps3 price drop, and not ps2 price drop.

Vivi_Gamer
Vivi_Gamer
14 years ago

PS2's past it, i havent seen a new game that looked half decent for ages…. Kingdom Hearts II was the last new game i think i got. though ive had my PS3 for a year and a half now.

Totalz
Totalz
14 years ago

For crying out loud…
I was expecting something really special to be unveiled today; a new IP maybe, something from team ICO, maybe a firmware update, at least something PS3 related. But once again Sony has conned us all and its friggin super mega ultimate announcement is a price cut for a ten year old system you can buy second hand for 30 quid anyway. Shame on you Sony! Get your act together, and start focusing on your new…no wait – CURRENT GENERATION console rather than clinging onto the glory days of the PS2. It's over Sony, get up to date and let the PS2 die a dignified, well remembered death. Rather than drag it out until its final game is a sh**ty movie tie in like 'Shrek the fifth 2: More f***ing ogres' or 'Hannah Montana the official game of officially the most retarded show on earth'. PLEASE!!!

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