PS2 On its Way Out for Good; EA to Reduce Pricing on Underperforming Sports Games?

While Sony's PS3 continues to struggle, the PS2 has maintained solid hardware sales. Deutsche Bank analyst Jeetil Patel, however, thinks the aging console may be "on its way out of the industry for good." In addition, Patel foresees price cuts on EA sports titles due to slower sales. More within...

[Captain Tuttle]

The PS2 has to go...it's one of the things holding back the PS3.

[fenderputty]

The PS2 does have to go. I don't know if NOW is the right time though. Keeping their fanbase loyal to the PS brand is crucial for Sony at this point in time. Once the PS3 hits a more reasonable pricing point, dropping the PS2 will greatly help the system.

As far as EA is concerned, if they stopped putting out crap, they might have better sales.

[Close_Second]

...that the PS2 was supposed to have a 10 year life cycle which we're still 3 years away from hitting. Certainly there have been many articles posted about the PS3 having 10 years to grace the gaming community.

Lets be honest, a 10 year life-cycle for a consumer electronics device is pure nonsense. The PS3 looks stunning today but in 5-7 years time its really going to look old hat and the PS4 will be well underway.

One way to gain momentum in a next gen war is to pull the plug on last-gen hardware as soon as possible. Microsoft were forced into releasing their 360 early due to a fallout between NVIDIA and MS. However, it meant that the 360 was not competing against the original Xbox for sales and market share.

The PS2 is still a fantastic gaming console given its price point and huge library of (AAA) games. Phasing it out would be really hard to do until the PS3 is in the same consumer space and that Sony was sure that PS2 owners will decide to transition to the PS3 and not the competition. Furthermore, now that the PS3 no longer has BC what choice do gamers have but to stick with their PS2 for now anyway?

[bootsielon]

10 year life cycle is subjective. First... define life cycle. If a console's life cycle means its prime... then each console has had about 6 years or so of life (except the Xbox and gamecube). However, if you define it as "games are still coming out for it", or an even more relaxed definition, "it's still being produced". Hell, I would go so far as to saying "it's still being sold", because a console can cease being produced and still keep selling whatever stock was remaining. So, PS1 had a 6, 8, 10, or 12 years life cycle, depending on how you look at it; hell, you could pretty much say it's still alive on PS3, since its games are also STILL being sold! Being reasonable though, I'd say a console has a life until it has been discontinued at retail stores. Which means PS2 will keep having a life well into 2010 or more when all its games and hardware have hit the bargain bins (and that won't stop until Sony ceases PS2 production). PS2 has yet to hit the 99 price point, and I predict that it'll reach a 69 pricepoint. Or hell, being ridiculous, 49? That would be sweet!

PS3 could have a long lifespan if it manages to survive the current hard times it's going through.

[kreetah]

PS2 has been a stellar console. The Xbox 360 took over 18 months on the market to finally pass PS2 sales back in July of this year (just three months ago)

[bestgamer94]

i thought i was the only thinking the ps2 should go it's really holding back the ps3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
imo

[gamesR4fun]

Killing the ps2 ain't gonna help that. I think theres still plenty of room for ps2's has they are still selling strong. Besides stop supporting them and all $ony can do is pray they'll migrate to ps3...

[jackfatal]

i think ps3 price should be the 40 300$ then at that time it will be time for the ps2 to die an honorable slow death!!

we had a great time with ps2 and still i will be playing it for at least another year! there is still too many games i want to play on ps2!!

[whateva]

Madden sold more on the PS2 then on the 360 this month.

[bestgamer94]

yes you could think it's like that but most now the name playstation an most have owned ps1 or ps2. so most will migrate to the system they can trust!!!!!!!!!!!!
imo

[gamesR4fun]

ya 2 you and me 4 sure but a lot of ppl that are still on the ps2 are the casual gamers and those who just cant afford better imo theres a good chance they go the cheapest route and the Wii will see the surge...
If we had a 300 ps3 like someone else mentioned then kill it 4 sure.

[gnothe1]

whateva!! where did you get that from!! the madden on the 360 has been leading the sales of all consoles so far!!

[whateva]

SW Sales
360 HALO 3* MICROSOFT (CORP) 1 3.3 million
WII PLAY W/ REMOTE NINTENDO OF AMERICA 2 282K
NDS LEGEND OF ZELDA: PHANTOM HOURGLASS NINTENDO OF AMERICA 3 224K
PS2 MADDEN NFL 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS 4 205K
360 SKATE ELECTRONIC ARTS 5 175K
360 MADDEN NFL 08 ELECTRONIC ARTS 6 173K
WII METROID PRIME 3: CORRUPTION NINTENDO OF AMERICA 7 167K
360 BIOSHOCK TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE (CORP) 8 150K
NDS BRAIN AGE 2: MORE TRAINING IN MINUTES A NINTENDO OF AMERICA 9 141K
PS3 HEAVENLY SWORD SONY (CORP) 10 139K

http://www.neogaf.com/forum...

so what was that you was saying and how can you disagree with a fact??

[GoLeafsGo]

I saw NHL 08 at BestBuy for 39.99CAD (new, of course).
So..it seems like prices ARE going down.

Also, NHL 2K8 was for a mere 19.99...so EA's still trying to rip the world off.

[Nameless]

The Playstation 2 can not go because Sony needs to keep the Playstation 2 in stock for the Backwards Compatility so the Delaystation 3 does not need it. The Playstation 2 is not going anywhere anytime soon. Sony backed themselves in a corner with the Playstation 2 & Backwards Compatibility.

[wangdiddy82]

dude the ps2 would still be going if MS didnt rush the 360 out.. Sony nor nintendo wanted to release the wii and ps3 this early..

EA just need to make better games.. Especially basketball..

[Gahigiddy]

And probably Wii, since Wii is so Wiik it shares games and "exclusives" with PS2 and PSP. So Wii success (however temporary) means PS2 life, although PS2 still sells more software.

[gnothe1]

whateva you can post that the PS2's madden outsold the 360's madden for 1 week but what about overall!! it looks to me like the 360 is in the lead.

http://www.vgchartz.com/awe...

at 17 and 18 the ps2 version has sold over 900,00 copies, the xbox 360 version has sold over 1 million so how do you explain that!!

[whateva]

and I never said that the PS2 madden was the best selling I said it out sold the xbox 360's last month!

[PS360PCROCKS]

7 years isn't bad, pull it Sony and make your intentions known that you want people owning the PS3.

[jackdoe]

Sony is only hurting itself by continuing PS2 development. Their main focus should be on the PS3 and PSP. As for EA PS2 sports games, good for people knowing when not to buy crap.

[Primetimebt]

If EA knows it can't make a game look the same as the verison shouldn't they have sold them at a $10 price difference? I mean I know alot PS3 owners who stopped buying EA games because of sh*tty verison of Madden 08, and their confusing PS2 with the XBOX live commericals with their new games coming out.

[teto83]

Sadly ps2 has to go.

[tom1595]

sony has a surprise for xmas :D

[Shaka2K6]

No!

[kss]

it has to go in the rich world where people can afford a ps3 but not in the developing world it can sell a lot there.