PlayStation 2 reaches retirement age, is discontinued in Japan
Sony's PlayStation 3 has been on the market so long you'd think that production of the relatively ancient PS2 stopped some time ago. Well, that wasn't true, but according to the Japanese PlayStation website, the PS2 has now officially been discontinued in the region. Japanese site Famitsu adds that shipments of the console have ended, so once the remaining stock has been depleted in Japan , there'll be no replenishment. It's a sad thought, but let's remember the good times -- the PS2's various iterations have been entertaining gamers for 12 years, and with over 150 million units purchased worldwide it's become the best selling console in history. We're not sure if the PS2 is still shipping to other regions, but its retirement in Japan is probably the beginning of the end globally, so we'd recommend you pick one up now if you intend to explore that extensive back catalogue one day. The PS2 era may be drawing to a close, but its legacy will live on and it can now rub controllers with the other greats in console heaven -- we still miss you, Dreamcast.
Update: Wiping a tear from its eye, SCE offered us this statement:
Due to PlayStation 2 now being over 12 years old, we have decided to stop future production of the console and focus on our newer and more popular platforms, PS3, PS Move and PS Vita. We are very proud of what we have achieved with PS2. Having sold over 150m units worldwide, PlayStation 2 remains the world's best selling console, but with sales understandably declining, we are shifting our priorities to reflect this.
