Key Takeaways
- Sony confirmed the PS2’s sales have surpassed 160 million units, previously reported by former CEO Jim Ryan.
- The PS2 remains the top-selling console, with the Nintendo Switch close behind at 146 million units.
- Despite its discontinuation, the PS2 legacy thrives.
On November 26, Sony stated that its second console, the PlayStation 2, had sold over 160 million units worldwide since its 2000 launch. Although the PlayStation 2 (PS2) has been off the market for over a decade, it remains the top-selling video game console of all time, though the Nintendo Switch remains hot on its heels.
Originally released in 2000, the PS2 succeeded the original PlayStation and was a success from the start. Along with releasing games that showed a major generational leap between the PS2 and PS1, the PS2 was also backward compatible with most PS1 games, controllers, and memory cards. The PS2 was powered by the Emotion Engine CPU, which was a collaborative effort between Sony and Toshiba. At its original launch MSRP of $299, the PS2 was also considered an affordable DVD movie player, when the format was relatively new. Four years after its release, the PS2 received a slimmed-down revision known as the PS2 Slim.
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Over two decades since the PS2 took the world by storm, Sony revealed how many units of its sixth-generation console have been sold. According to Sony’s PlayStation history blog, the PS2 has sold over 160 million consoles worldwide since its 2000 launch, up from a previously established total of 158.3 million. The new total is for all PS2 units, including the PS2 Slim, sold during its lifespan. The staggering sales figures of the PS2 were corroborated by former Sony President and CEO Jim Ryan in March 2024, around the time of his retirement. Ryan oversaw the launch of the PS2 and other Sony products. Although Sony continued producing PS2 units until 2013, the same year that the PS4 was launched, the PS2 released over 4,000 titles during its lifespan and launched series such as God of War and Ratchet and Clank that still see releases today.
Sony’s PS2 Sold a Record-High 160 Million Units
- Sony stated that the PlayStation 2 had sold over 160 million units worldwide since its 2000 launch.
- The new total was previously claimed by former CEO Jim Ryan, who retired in March 2024.
- The 160 million unit milestone is a bump up from the previous mark of 158.3 million.
- Although the PS2 has the current top spot, the Nintendo Switch is not far behind at 146 million units sold.
At the time of writing, the PS2 remained the top-selling video game console of all time, but another challenger is not far behind. The Nintendo Switch has sold over 146 million units since its March 2017 release, which puts it roughly within 14 million units of overtaking the PS2. The Switch sales figures included both the Switch Lite and OLED variants. With Nintendo working on a yet-unrevealed successor to the Switch, its hybrid console remains on pace to potentially surpass the PS2 soon.
Although the PS2 has since been discontinued, titles like Silent Hill 2 were remade for the PS5 and PS5 Pro. All in all, the legacy of the PS2 remains strong in the hearts of gamers worldwide.
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 was Sony’s direct “sequel” to their original PlayStation and stands as one of the best-selling and most beloved consoles of all time. With a catalog of amazing games, it stood strong against the GameCube and Xbox in the sixth-generation of the console wars.
- Brand
- Sony
- Original Release Date
- October 26, 2000
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $299, £299
- Weight
- 4.85 lb