Sony predicts major sales slowdown...

[smellslikenintendospirit]

Sony Predicts Slowdown in PlayStation 2 Console Sales

by Joseph Moran
Sony reports that sales of the PlayStation 2 console reached 22.5 million units in the just-ended 2002 fiscal year. This represents a 25% increase over the previous year.

In the current fiscal year, which begins this month, the company expects PS2 console to fall about 12%-- down to 20 million. Sony is also predicting a sharp drop of more than 60% for sales of the earlier PlayStation and PSOne consoles.

If these predictions hold, it means Sony will sell fewer total game consoles this fiscal year than it did in each of the prior two. This may a sign that the market is ready for the successor to the PlayStation 2.

According to Sony’s figures, sales of the PlayStation 2 are already dropping in Japan—down 38% this year. In comparison, sales in North America and Europe continue to rise, up 53% and 40%, respectively.

Sony has not discussed a specific release date for its forthcoming PlayStation 3 console. However, the product isn’t expected to hit the market until 2004, and that’s only according to the most optimistic estimates.

Last week, Sony and Toshiba, along with IBM, announced plans to develop a new microprocessor rumored to be at the core of the new PS3 console. Toshiba, which is building the chip, says it doesn’t plan to be mass producing them until the latter part of its 2004 fiscal year, which ends in March of 2005.

On the software side, Sony reports that total unit sales of PS2 software jumped 56% to 190 million in its 2002 fiscal year. Software unit sales rose in all geographic regions—up 25% in Japan, 64% in North America, and 70% in Europe.

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:evillaugh

[Michael Bluth]

As soon as Halo 2, DOOM III, Metroid Prime 2, etc. come out people are going to begin to look at the system and think - what the hell? I mean, it's already showing it's age, but it looks like consumers need even more of a push :p

[Prince]

Gran Turismo 4 is their last hope in terms of games.

[Viper]

It made a hell of a run though.

[Carlos]

Its going to regain the crown after PS3 is released, because then, companies are able to create new games, new franchises, and new sequels to take advantage of the power of PS3.....Oh, and by that time, PS2 will be pushed to its limits....so don't hold your breath that PS2 will lose its ground, and lose its fanbase.

[Gunpei]

PS2 = teh sux0rs

It has always been this way, and now people will finally realize it.

and as another note, Phanty actually said something nice about Metroid Prime 2. :) :) :)

[Haris]

Yes it looks like PS2 isn't going to live much longer. It's alright thought. I have a hell of a lot of respect for Sony. Almost everything electronic I own is Sony, but I don't have a PS2. Sony is a modest company, and I hope that PS3 will kick ass. It had a long and very prosperous and glorious life...let me read the eugoogly...(<Hahaha, anyone see Zoolander?)

[The Dude]

I call my ps2 the gran turismo/final fantasy player. thats all i use it for :(

[Michael Bluth]

Metroid Prime looks great, I'll give it that - but just too much adventure and not enough shooting for me. Just personal prefrence.


I think the PS3 will have very few games, as it's going to be very complicated to develop for. Microsoft is incredibly lucky they have DirectX on their side...

[Haris]

Uhg... I hate everything about Metroid Prime.

[Mercury Shadow]

Seeing as how the PS2's installed user base is incredibly larger than GC and Xbox's combined... I wouldnt be talkin' ;)

[Gunpei]

Originally posted by Wario
Uhg... I hate everything about Metroid Prime.

That came out of your ass, so please wipe.

The only reason that you hate MP is because you expected it to be a FPS, and it not, its a FPA. MP isnt a half-ass FPS witht he Metroid liscense slapped on it, it is a great adventure game that is one of the best 2D to 3D translation games ever.

[video game master]

It IS the best 2D 3D translation ever!

[Viper]

looks like Wario is a closet case box boy. MP rocked your socks and you know it.

[camstun187]

oh well sony always comes back....

[Sonic2041]

MP is the third best right behind mario and zelda

I think that somthing is going to go wrong with the PS3 and developers won't like it

[Virtual]

Originally posted by Nintendo X
Its going to regain the crown after PS3 is released, because then, companies are able to create new games, new franchises, and new sequels to take advantage of the power of PS3.....Oh, and by that time, PS2 will be pushed to its limits....so don't hold your breath that PS2 will lose its ground, and lose its fanbase.
yup

[Haris]

Originally posted by Gunpei
That came out of your ass, so please wipe.

The only reason that you hate MP is because you expected it to be a FPS, and it not, its a FPA. MP isnt a half-ass FPS witht he Metroid liscense slapped on it, it is a great adventure game that is one of the best 2D to 3D translation games ever.

Zelda is the best 2D to 3D. FPA is just some crappy new genre Ninty pulled out of its ass because FPS's with the GCN controller suck. The controls of MP suck.

[spicycookie]

well they should start on PS3 then

[Glenn2K4]

Originally posted by Nintendo X
Its going to regain the crown after PS3 is released, because then, companies are able to create new games, new franchises, and new sequels to take advantage of the power of PS3.....Oh, and by that time, PS2 will be pushed to its limits....so don't hold your breath that PS2 will lose its ground, and lose its fanbase.
exactly

oh well sony always comes back....
exactly
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the only thing about the PS3 is that whether it is the best or the worse system, it WILL sell . . if sony pushes the hype like it did for PS2, it will sell probably maybe even faster than PS2, assuming they ship enough consoles this time.

Remember when developers were supposedly going to drop PS2 for xbox and gamecube b/c it was too hard to develop for? . . what ever happened to that, eh. The effect is almost no existant.
It's sad, but oh so true :(

[TheGreenElf]

PS2 will go boom!

[DLX]

Originally posted by Phantagram
Metroid Prime looks great, I'll give it that - but just too much adventure and not enough shooting for me. Just personal prefrence.

It seems that you have not played it..The game gets very action packed, and a lot of shooting and missile launching is required..trust me, Not Only that but the amount of stuff you can do is far more than any FPS will allow you to do(If this game needs to be called an FPS, Which is almost an Insult).

As Far as Sony is concerned, A System that has sold that much will eventually reach a downtime, but theres no need to laugh at it, even if it reachesd a complete halt in sales, Neither Xbox or Gamecube will ever catchup to the amount of systems PS2 has already sold, So Its safe to say Sony is definately not worried about it.