Ben-DutkaAlmost 13 years. That's how long the PS2 lasted in the Land of the Rising Sun.
According to a Gamasutra report , Sony has announced that they will no longer ship PS2 hardware to Japanese retailers. The system launched in March 2000 in Japan.
All told, the PS2 has sold over 150 million units worldwide; it continued to receive new software all the way up until 2011, so those scoffing at the 10-year lifespan theory should've been eating their words (as they're likely to do with the PS3). And as of yet, Sony hasn't revealed when they'll stop shipping PS2 machines to other parts of the world, although we expect it'll be soon. The record-breaking console has enjoyed quite the run and has remained popular for a very long time, even selling as much as the newly launched PlayStation Vita earlier this year.
Will the PS3 hit 150 million? It seems doubtful as its not even halfway there after over six years of being on the market, but a lot of sales come when the price tag is lower. The PS2 was just a beast.