PlayStation 2 hits 50 million milestone in US
Sony unlikely to cut $130 price due to "significant financial contribution" of ageing system
Sony Computer Entertainment America has revealed that the PlayStation 2 has now sold over 50 million units in the US.
Last year, a study by Nielsen revealed that users in the region spent more time playing the PlayStation 2 than any other home console.
The system was launched in North America in 2000, and currently retails for USD 130. Rival consoles from the same generation, the GameCube and the original Xbox, have both been discontinued.
The last figures from the NPD Group show that in November the PlayStation 2 sold 206,000 units.
According to Sony's US marketing boss John Koller, the system is appealing to consumers in the current economic climate.
"The PS2 consumer is still actively purchasing games. Greatest Hits, in a tough economic time like we're in now, which has a proven value message, at USD 19.99," he told Gamasutra.
And just like the PlayStation 3, which currently lags behind its current gen competition from Nintendo and Microsoft, Sony is happy with the price of the PS2, and is unlikely to drop it further.
"We've looked at a variety of options, and I think we're pleased with where we are; it's a significant financial contributor for us and it sells very well at $129.99. We're comfortable with the current price," said Koller.