Sony has announced that the retail price of the PS2 will drop from $149.99 to $129.99, only weeks after they adjusted the price of their PSP handheld and around a year and a half after the release of the PS2's slim model.
The PS2 is still the undisputed market leader in console sales, having sold more than double the amount of XBoxes and Gamecubes combined to date. Also, despite the upcoming release of the PS3, Sony will continue producing PS2 games well into the holiday season later this year. This is a stark contrast to Microsoft's strategy, which essentially abandoned the XBox immediately after the release of the XBox 360; Microsoft even
raised the recommended price of the XBox by manditorily packaging new XBox units with Forza Motorsport after the release of the 360.
What this tells us is that Sony hasn't given up on their money machine just yet. It would appear that Sony is trying to gradually slow the production of new PS2 games to an eventual stop some time after the PS3's launch (rather than take Microsoft's more abrupt approach), and decreasing the price of the PS2 in order to increase sales enough to maintain the PS2's status as a valuable cash cow. We can only wait and see how the PS2's story ends, but right now it seems liike it is going to stubbornly cling to life for awhile longer.
Source:
Joystiq
| Sabin | Comment 1: 2006-04-20 16:40 |
![Sabin]() |
I'm probably one of the very few here who does not have one. I do still plan on getting one. And while this price lowering is good, saving 20 bucks isn't enough to make me run out and get it right away. Chances are pretty good I'm going to follow the same path of how I got my normal PSx; I didn't get my Playstation until a couple months after the PS2 was released. So it looks like I'll get my PS2 shortly after the release of the PS3. |
| Rangers51 | Comment 2: 2006-04-20 16:52 |
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I, too, do not have one. The price drop is not enough to make me care. Talk to me when they're $89.99.
I know I don't speak for anyone else here, so don't argue my point of view.  |
| Kane | Comment 3: 2006-04-20 23:11 |
![Kane]() |
If either
A. the price drops again
or
B. my PS2 finally gives out (it doesn't always load the first time)
I'll be all over that. |
| Narratorway | Comment 4: 2006-04-20 23:33 |
![Narratorway]() |
I imagine they're trying to sustain the PS2 because they're worried the PS3 is gonna be too expensive. From what I've heard the things gonna hafta be at least five hundred bucks for them to ever hope of getting a profit out of it. My guess is they're trying to up the PS2 sales in order to soften the blow when PS3 arrives. |
| Hanyou | Comment 5: 2006-04-20 23:52 |
![Hanyou]() |
WOOOOO! $20!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Lame.
Seriously lame.
If they really wanted to boost sales, they should have give it the $99.95 treatment. $100 is a magical number to consumers, and I don't think SONY realized this. $130 is too much for a system that is in it's final stage of life, even if it is one of the most popular systems ever. They dropped the ball on this one. |
| Zeromus_X | Comment 6: 2006-04-21 01:00 |
![Zeromus_X]() |
Yeah, not that big a drop. Although I guess it'd be somewhat good news to someone who doesn't have one and wants to get one, so meh. |
| Galsic | Comment 7: 2006-04-21 04:47 |
![Galsic]() |
Quote (Zeromus_X @ 20th April 2006 20:00) Yeah, not that big a drop. Although I guess it'd be somewhat good news to someone who doesn't have one and wants to get one, so meh.
Nope, it's still not low enough for me. My PSx is still entertaining me plenty so I'll have no trouble waiting for a better price. |
| WildHalcyon | Comment 8: 2006-04-21 05:41 |
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I bought mine at $150, but I considered it a fair investment since I didn't have a DVD player either. Its not the greatest DVD player of all time, but it works fine for my purposes. |
| Del S | Comment 9: 2006-04-21 10:46 |
![Del S]() |
You think a $20 drop is pitifully poor? How about the fact it's still selling in the UK for $185...
£73 it costs you. VAT plus rip-off factor makes it £105 here. And no one in this country will care.
But seriously, £11/$20. What can that buy you? Taxi fare home? |
| Dark Paladin | Comment 10: 2006-04-21 14:19 |
![Dark Paladin]() |
I might get one now, but only because my PS1 is on its last legs and a guy who works at Target taught me how to abuse the rain check system. I can get it for $100 right now. |
| Cloud_Strife510 | Comment 11: 2006-04-22 02:10 |
![Cloud_Strife510]() |
Quote I, too, do not have one. The price drop is not enough to make me care. Talk to me when they're $89.99.
I know I don't speak for anyone else here, so don't argue my point of view. smile.gif
R51 you took the words right out of my mouth
I'm not even sure i'm going to get a PS2 anymore, I was waiting fro the 100 dollar mark, butr now I realized I didn't miss out on much. however I may just get one to keep on playing old FF games as well as try out some metal gear solid. but only once it is priced 89.99 or less will I get one. |
| Fadien | Comment 12: 2006-04-22 03:16 |
![Fadien]() |
Hahahaha. What a joke.
I've been wanting to get another PS2 since I sold mine 2 years ago, but not for $150. $130 isn't low enough.
$100 with a bonus package (similar to the GC Mario Kart bundle I got) sounds good to me.
Just the system, $80 or less. |
| Shotgunnova | Comment 13: 2006-04-22 11:39 |
![Shotgunnova]() |
I had bought a slimline since my "fat" PS2 was messing up and wouldn't open the disc drive, but it ended up not working while, ironically, my "fat" one started going into tip-top shape. I'll have to send it in to Sony since it wasn't a refurbished one, but buying it ($150) was just a matter of convenience -- I play PSX games primarily. I guess the price drop doesn't matter to most people, but could have steeled my willpower if I knew a price drop was coming two months later...
I'm sure the new price drop will cater to the tens of people who only spend money in multiples of 130.
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