Ben-DutkaIf you're wondering how many PlayStation 2 units have been sold in just under 11 years…well, it's a really big number.
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCE) has announced that the cumulative sales of the PS2 hit 150 million worldwide (sell-in stat) as of January 31, 2011.
Sony hit this super lofty plateau 10 years and 11 months since launching the PS2 in Japan in March 2000. Citing strong third-party support and "a slew of blockbuster franchises" like Gran Turismo , God of War , and Ratchet & Clank , the PS2's vast library now sits at a whopping 10,828 software titles and overall, they've sold 1.52 billion software units. The press release also notes that the PS2 delivered new technology like the DualShock 2 controller and the EyeToy USB camera, which is now being used for another advanced piece of tech, the PlayStation Move. The Eye really did have mainstream appeal; as they say, "this new style of gameplay expanded PlayStation 2's users to a wider audience, including families and casual players."
Also, let's not forget that the PS2 was the first to implement DVD technology, which certainly helped. And lastly-
"Despite almost entering its 12th year since launch, PlayStation 2 system continues to serve as the entertainment centerpiece in many living rooms and is strongly supported in countries and regions, particularly in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and South America."
Yes, the most successful – numbers-wise – video game console in history has done very well over the past decade or so. …tough to top that with any future piece of hardware, don't you think?