We've nothing to go on but a good man's word, but we're hearing that the permanent retail price of Sony's aged
PlayStation 2 console will soon fall below the magical $100 mark. And really, it'd be about time. If you'll recall, Sony last adjusted the price of the PS2 in (surprise!)
April of 2006, and if this here tip proves true, the company will select April of 2009 to push the MSRP down to $99.99. The image above comes from a generally trustworthy Kmart pricing system, and while we're certain you'd all love a
PS3 price drop to follow suit, we've no reason to believe that one is close enough to touch.
Update: As a couple of tipsters and commenters have pointed out, that screen's most likely from a K-Mart Remote Management Unit (RMU) screen. That'd make EVT SP "Event Special" -- or in other words, a sale price for the listed days of April 5 to April 11.
posted Mar 29th 2009 10:31PM
I didn't even know they were still for sale? Time to pick one up and get a replacement case and try out swap magic
Yeah, recently got one, but can't find any good place to buy the dern thing.
i was just in radioshack and all their PS2's are on clearance for less than $100
Guess now the clearance is official.
How about a price drop for the struggling PS3? It almost seems that the Ps2 will outlasts the Ps3.
@ Ridgecity
I love posts such as yours. I should just let them go but......
Go check worldwide sales of PS3 (not just USA) to see that it is in no way struggling. I think that you'll find that it matches worldwide monthly sales (maybe even outsells now?) of Microsofts Xbox360.
So, by your logic, Xbox360 is struggling too right?
The answer is no. No THEY are not.
He's prolly referring to year-on-year sales of PS3; where in USA January 2009 of 203,200 is lower than January 2008 of 269,000 and same is true for February too; whereas Xbox and Wii both rose year-on-year in USA in these months. Declining annual sales is not a good sign of continued growth, especially when Xbox rose from 230,000 in Jan-2008 to 309,000 in Jan-09.
Although USA is third largest market after Asia and Europe, where PS3 is strong (with exception of UK where Xbox leads PS3), it's still a pretty significant factor and "struggling" isn't too bad a term to describe the situation.
@ Vanilla
Struggling is'nt accurate at all.
Struggling compared to what?
Last I heard, worldwide PS3 sales were round about the 21 million mark, whilst Xbox360 was around the 28 million mark (on the market around 18 months earlier).
You can't simply refer to USA figures to 'prove' that PS3 is 'struggling'.
I think people get carried away with the term 'struggling' due to the phenomenon that is the Wii. Everything is 'struggling' compared to that.
However, back in the real world, they're doing ok (meaning both Xbox360 and Playstation 3).
It seems to me that a lot of people who bought the 360 when it first came out are bored with it now, and are buying the PS3 purely to add a little variety to their life until the next gen arrives.
The same thing happened with the original Xbox; a lot of people, myself included, had the PS2 initially because it was the first available, but later bought the Xbox because of its (IMO) better graphics.
How the continual PS2 sales fit into all of that is a mystery that I doubt even Sony comprehends. Can all of its sales really be attributed to little kids that want their own console but can't afford the latest generation?
I went to a game shop the other day, and all the PS2 games seemed overpriced... I find it hard to believe that people are still buying them. Even low-quality, old games were still like $10.
Is the economy really that bad? $10 for a game sounds pretty damn cheap to me.
Still one of the best consoles EVER.
yep, ps2 > wii anytime!
The Wii was just a fad, that I too fell for. I only played with the Wii for like two months and now its just collecting dust until I decide to donate it or something.
I spent more money on the Wii than I did with the PS3 or the 360 trying to keep the "Fun Factor" going. But no, two months it was done.
With referbed 360's going for $140ish why would you want one of these unless your old one broke.
I dunno, maybe to play a dozen or so good games for the cost of a year of xbox live. Oh who am I kidding 360 owners don't know what that is.
Despite all of the good 360 games there are, the PS2 has some of the BEST games this decade. Graphics aren't everything pal, otherwise people would be fighting hand over fist to play Crysis.
PC gaming FTW!
What ever. You are talking to a guy with every came system back to pong. I have 2 pong systems for that matter and also 2 PS3's. Yes, I have a 360 and wii and 2 PS2's are well. The thing is I haven't touched the PS2 for years and I can't even remember the last time I used one. It is way more then resolution. There is wireless controllers, powering on and off the system remotely, the ability to play old games and new arcade ones. There is game storage without needing memory cards, faster load times, and the use as a media extender.
Since the 360 is much newer it will last longer and the older 360 games are the same price or cheaper than PS2 games with the added benefit of looking much better on a HD TV.
The PS2 is old get used to it.
360's do not run PS2 games. Yeah, I like that explanation.
There are a lot of PS2 games that people will want to play, especially if they are on a budget and unable to afford current-gen consoles. Games like Shadow of the Colossus or God of War 1 and 2 were all good games in their time, and games like Persona 4 prove that good games can still be made.
Neither do PS3's(anymore). I have a 60GB around just in case. I mostly stopped playing PS2 after the xbox1 had been out a year or so. After Halo and crimson sky's I couldn't go back. Mostly because of the resolution/graphics but the fact I had the xbox hacked made it way better. I have a hacked PS2 as well but it couldn't compare. Kind of like going from the 2600 and Intellivision to the Coleco. I respect Asteroids and Gran Prix but after Zaxxon and Smurf's it was very hard to go back. Yea, I still have those systems but I never play them except maybe for the dedicated pong setup I have. I even have Intellivoice and that isn't enough to get me to go back. "That was not the target"
Well oh yeah? I got a PS4 and a Xbox361!!!! Take that Fastm3driver. Pretty sure my E-Penis is bigger than yours!
Yep, the PS2 was a great console, which is why I got a PS3 before they cut out BC. Wireless controllers, turning it on remotely, great times. I know a lot of people claim that BC is overrated but considering I still break out my N64 pretty regularly I don't know where they're coming from.
Wait, did fastm3driver just say the 360 will last longer? Seriously?
I've broken out my n64 and since I have a 20G PS3, some old PS2 games. I usually load them up, play for 5 minutes and wonder why I did... I then bow my head in shame and pack it all back up and stick the old games back in the closet.
Who cares?
No kidding... kill it already. Does Microsoft still run around pushing XBOX games?
Sony, get some faith in the PS3 and move on with your life.
"Does Microsoft still run around pushing XBOX games? "
I wish they were. A hacked XBOX makes for a very nice and would-be very cheap TV media player.
Might pick one up to put in the car.
ps2? i thought they stopped selling that about 1-2 years ago.. insane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
no that's when they stopped making PS1s
is crysis online better than cod4 or cod5 on xbox line on hidef 1080p on a 52" sony thru 2000 watt surround sound system???
No Crysis sucks. Left 4 Dead on the other hand...
Depends, I would take crysis on a 70"+ WTFUXGA plus a decent 90000w surround system running .00023fps. Does this has anything to do with PS2 lowering the price? No
Are there decent flip-up screens to go with it, too? I think it'd make a great traveling companion if you could have a little LCD screen that didn't cost an arm and a leg and sucked (which was the last state of the industry when I last checked)
maybe drop the price on the PS3?
How is this just now reaching $99? You can get a new GCN for like 40 bucks... I'm also sort of surprised there are people who don't own PS2s... It's a pretty good deal though, buy swap magic and you have access to one of the greatest and most expansive video game libraries...ever...
no one else thinks it's kinda badass that sony's last gen console is not only still on sale new but on sale for this much? Try finding a mint in box gamecube or xbox in retail at any cost.
haha.... just in time too.... my PS2 just died yesterday (after my cousin so RUDELY threw it against my wall after losing some stupid game)
indeed, that was rude.
I'd be getting a new cousin and/or stop talking to them. I don't tolerate people throwing anything of mine at any time. It's about respecting other people's stuff, no matter how old or worn out they may be.
Mainly geared for third world countries like archos, iriver, cowon, nokia, motorala n I would also ad samsung cells to that category.
sorry???
Ok what to get used Xbox 360 for $140 or this,.?
Completely different sets of games. Completely different price points for said games. You do the math.
it will go great with my DTV converter box, on top of my 24" CRT TV.
Oh yea, I have a quad core gaming rig too . FTW...
If I had the cash, I'd buy one just to play Twisted Metal 1 and 2, The Spyro and Crash Bandicoot series, Gran Turismo 3, and the Need For Speed games (the early ones. The ones I actually enjoyed)
how much are buggy whips going for?
Metal Gear Sold 3 - ran on PS2 - one of most beautiful games. This was rendered by the PS2 - not video recording. Looks better than some new games.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDDM9jF9U78
Sorry, but no.This isn't a real-time render by the Playstation 2, it's a CGI cutscene done with game models and slightly bumped TRIS count.
To be honest I can't believe they're still selling it.
They've got the PS2 down to a system-on-a-chip with an internal power supply, so it probably costs next to nothing to make. Good. Hopefully used prices will fall accordingly.
can we get a mobile ps2 then?
About time.
I totally agree.....WHO CARES!!! oh wait, they're all here...on this forum...all 5 of them....sorry guys didn't see you there.
I bought a PS2 for $99 last year for the first time. Bought a ton of new games for less than $10. Can't wait till the PS3 drops to $99, oh wait I can.
@fastm3driver:
Ok, so the PS2 wasn't your cup of tea. We get it. But 140 million PS2 sales says that LOTS of people disagree with you. If you stopped playing your PS2 when you got your Xbox, then you missed out on way too many great games for me to take you seriously anymore.
People who want to play God of War aren't going to pass on the opportunity to play it because it's not HD, or because another console has wireless controllers.
Reply button doesn't like me today...
This is still a bit high of a price point for a PS2 IMHO. I still say save the money and buy a PS3 if you can, completely rapes all other consoles this generation.
u can get a vhs player for cheap too !huge movie library.....
Actually...PS2 sales are over 150 million and there are still plenty of new games being released on it.
In most of the Europe countries, the PS2 costs around 170€, which is around 250$. - A price drop like this would boost PS2 sales for a while, because the game library is really really huge.
In India the PS2 Slim was just released last year and Sony lowered the PS2 game licencing fee to almost nothing, which means indie devs and devs in poor countries can make games aswell - meaning that the PS2 will stay on market for another 5+ years.
Sorry, no. That screen shot is from a K-Mart RMU. I'm the electronics manager in the k mart in northern oklahoma and the EVT SP means that it's going on sale soon. It's an Event special or a sale price if you will.
That's evidence? Haha I could get the same result off my TI-83 you nobbits...
I had no idea the PS2 was still being sold, officially. Clearly, I'm not the first. Then again, I also had no idea that Kmart still existed.
What with all this talk of OnLive and the slurry of competing platforms that will doubtlessly be in the works from rival companies, the current generation may end up being the last or at least the penultimate.
With consoles left as thin clients there would of course be no need to keep replacing them, not as frequently as least.
And the hardware wouldn't necessarily need to be much more serious than a PS2, so perhaps what we can take away from this is that a hypothetical console capable of acting as a thin client for remote games could be built and sold for $100.