Sony ships 90-millionth PlayStation 2

Sony has announced that as of June 2nd 2005 its "cumulative production shipment" of PlayStation 2s has exceeded 90 million units worldwide.

Representatives could not clarify an actual sales - and therefore installed base - figure for the market-leading games console, but the 90 million milestone is nonetheless significant as it sees the platform holder edge ever closer to the magic 100 million figure.

Sony regularly points out that the original PlayStation sold "more than 100 million units in total", and surely wants to reach that figure with PS2 before the launch of PlayStation 3 next spring.

In its announcement this morning, Sony points out that PS2's penetration speed, based on the production shipment figure, is two years and three months superior to that of the original PlayStation.

The current production shipment figures have North America out in front on 36.48 million, with European and PAL territories trailing on 32.48 million. However these figures suggest that shipments in PAL regions have been slightly larger in the 16 months that have passed since Sony hit the 70 million shipment milestone. When PS2 hit 70m, North America had 29.26 million, while Europe had 24.56 million.

Japan, meanwhile, moves up to 21.04 million units from 16.18 million in the same period - although its trailing in third isn't that surprising given the disparity in population. That figure also includes other Asian territories.