PS2 life cycle is at an end, says Microsoft

By Ellie Gibson Published 31 March, 2009

Exec reckons Xbox 360 is "the future".

Microsoft bossman Chris Lewis has shrugged off suggestions anyone will care about the PS2 price cut announced for the US and Europe.

"This move from Sony at the end of the PS2’s life cycle is not unexpected," said Lewis.

"We believe, however, that the future lies in the growth of current generation consoles and Xbox 360, as the fastest growing games console last year, with sales up over 80 per cent, will continue to drive the market."

Then there's some stuff about "blockbuster games" and "connected entertainment", but quite frankly you could fill in the the gaps yourself in the time it would take us to cut and paste it.

As announced earlier today, PS2 will shortly cost USD 99.99 in the States and EUR 100 in Europe. There's no price cut for the UK, though, where it will continue to retail at GBP 99.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (65) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Gazza_UK #1 3 years ago

    Sounds like hes worried LOL.

  • AOFanboi #2 3 years ago

    Well, Microsoft certainly ended the XBox lifecycle abruptly - by just declaring it dead when the successor was released.

    Plenty of great games for the PS2, so plenty reasons for people to buy one even now, eight years after its launch.

  • toa_boa #3 3 years ago

    LOL - Eurogamer, the true bards of the digital age :-)

  • makeamazing #4 3 years ago

    Yay have to love MS as always commenting on how Sony should conduct business... nice :D

  • Moonprince #5 3 years ago

    "will continue to drive the market."

    Wii?

    F'king retard talks retarded.

  • jaxon58 #6 3 years ago

    @AOFanboi -
    Damn right they did. That's why I haven't bought a 360, I was well into my Xbox when they decided I shouldn't be playing on it anymore. Never seen a system die so quickly.

  • bluem4gic #7 3 years ago

    150 Million PS2
    100 Million DS
    50 million Wiis
    24 Million 360
    18 Million PS3

    Of course the guy is worried


    What does 360 have for it once you take away third party titles and xbox live

    err nothing

  • FWB #8 3 years ago

    I'm the future.

  • neonemesis #9 3 years ago

    Bit of a stupid news article really. It's not as if the PS2 is the direct competitor to the 360 at this stage.

  • gohda #10 3 years ago

    100USD fo

  • Eraysor #11 3 years ago

    He can eat a grenade for all I care.

  • Xensor #12 3 years ago

  • Tetragammatron #13 3 years ago

    I wish the PS2 could've lasted as long as the original Xbox.

  • 8bitMofo #14 3 years ago

    The future, all 3 years of it.

  • Rodchenko #15 3 years ago

    I wish MS mouthpieces would finally understand that constantly taking pot shots at the competition rather than focussing on their own business doesn't exactly make them look very clever.

  • Ryze #16 3 years ago

    M$ should do the same to steal their thunder. Drop the price to £99/€99/$99 for the Arcade white console just for kicks.

    They should then release different colours of the Pro console and leave that price alone.

  • bad09 #17 3 years ago

    He may shrug it off but many of us have been screwed by Sony when they ripped out B/C so are actually in the market for PS2. Many of us have many PS2 games to finish/sample.

    Hell I'd still have an Xbox if MS had scewed us on B/C - well, they still did but not completely....

    / stares longingly at his Xbox MGS2 Substance

    (don't worry though MS, Sony is getting nowt due to removing BC from PS3 - my new PS2 will be 2nd hand)

  • tinners #18 3 years ago

    I think i know how Sony should conduct business

    Stop fucking over Europe maybe?

  • Ryze #19 3 years ago

    @bad09

    Xboxes cost about £20!

  • rotmm #20 3 years ago

    @tinners, "Stop fucking over Europe maybe?"

    Why?

  • drumbaby #21 3 years ago

    They should keep quiet if they know what's good for them. Msoft really aren't qualified when it comes to wringing every ounce of value from their old machines.

  • zarglu #22 3 years ago

    PS2 will likely live on for a while.
    I wouldn't be surprised to see a PS2 portable appear in the not so distant future: plop a PS2 disc in your PS3, copy to the PS2 Protable flash from there, and off you go!

  • SAH1977 #23 3 years ago

    MS commenting on Sony once again...........

    Perhaps they should step forward with some exciting 360 titles if they don't wish to give the impression they are starting to lag behind the PS3's exclusives.

  • El-Dev #24 3 years ago

    Yep, 360 has fuck all games for 2009. Normally when someone mouths off about their console they drop in a few names of what they'll be pushing this year, but a Halo add on and GTA DLC doesn't really sound that great. Another price drop will keep the current batch of 360 owners happy...they all seem quite happy it's so cheap.

  • tinners #25 3 years ago

    "I'd hate to be a 360-only gamer in 2009. "

    HA ha oh the horror, almost as bad as being homeless & living on the streets.

    Could never tell what side of the console bed you sleep on Evilfoxhound. :p

    So you must have the full list of releases up to the end of this year, or your somehow related to mystic meg?

    Anyways tell your Sony peeps to lower the price, a recessions on don't ya know :/
    Edited by 1 at 31/03/09 @ 18:25

  • bad09 #26 3 years ago

    @ Ryze

    Yeah but I got too many boxes already and I hate having them just lying around, seriously it's a good job the cube is round my girlfriends, I'm running out of room! Besides, I want from original XBox is MGS2 and Riddick (which we are now getting on 360) so I really can't justify another box just for one game!

    (was happy to add a DC a couple of months ago though!)

    Hell I just wish PC PS2 emulation improves soon so I can dump the PS2 altogether (probably why I'm holding off investing in a new PS2 TBH), lets face it the "home of Playstation" is only good for flowers and other nonsense now so I doubt it will ever be put back in that.


    Edited by 1 at 31/03/09 @ 18:29

  • GamesConnoisseur #27 3 years ago

    IF PS2 and Xbox positions were revesed, Sony would have ditched PS2 a long time ago! The truth is that the product that is PS2 is still selling reasonably well and giving Sony far better profits then the bugbear that is the PS3.

    PS3 dont give enough profit margin (if any!) and that is why Sony cannot afford to drop the price just yet.

    Still a very good record for a console which Sony would be proud of and still plenty of good games for it.

    /Looking fondly at my PS3 with B/C

  • tinners #28 3 years ago

    @tinners, "Stop fucking over Europe maybe?"

    @rotmm "Why?"

    Good question....................So you like being financially fucked because you live in Europe or are you just stupidly rich and have no say in this?

    er why? i dunno mate pay more or move to america i guess?, get out a calculator?, go figure!!?? still confused?

  • makeamazing #29 3 years ago

    The PS2 is still selling in good numbers, and though it has dipped of late, this might be the reason for the price cut.

    As long as Sony are making profits on the PS2 and people are still buying it, I say go for it, because its common sense that any profit is good in these times. Its certainly not just about shifting one console box these days anyway.. the handhelds, online DLC and games is what it is also about.

  • Fur_Cough #30 3 years ago

    News Item: Xbox 360 "a white whirring box that you hook to the telly" Gamer Comments

    According to opinions expressed on a gaming website, the Xbox is a "white box that you hook up to the telly to play games. It has a fan that makes whirring noises to keep it cool." Our sources claimed that the Xbox 360 was 'not always white' and could be found in black too.


    News Item: Microsoft should make way for Google and Linux, Websurfer Comments

    Microsoft's dominance of the software marketplace is now over, and they should make way for Google services and an open architecture, a web commentator notes. "Their backing of HD-DVD also demonstrates their failure to grab market share in the living room - it's time they gave up trying", the commentator also states.


    Come on Eurogamer, it's rubbish - let's not have this sort of "news". In case you hadn't noticed, it's pretty disgustingly manipulative - and you are falling for it. You're not bankrolled by the Fox Network, are you?

  • Calgon #31 3 years ago

    You do realise there'd be no comments if people didnt keep asking them these stupid questions dont you? If they say no comment you'd have trolls fapping themselves blind in the hope that its a sign of fear(haha they do that so often that theyve ruined it for themselves) that the PS2s going to come back and get them or some bollocks(I dunno you dont half chat some shit you xbox haters).

    Unless this person saw the PS2 price drop and held a press conference/phoned Ellie Gibson and had a right old whinge/boast about it... which I doubt.

    Its sort of the equivelant of a small shit stirring child saying to another guy "if that guy over there punched you, would you fight back or just run away?" "fight back?" *runs off to tell guy that somebody wants him a fight*

    Thats how its been for a long time with these articles if you ask me.
    Edited by 4 at 31/03/09 @ 19:04

  • Xerx3s #32 3 years ago

    FACE! NOT BOTHERED!

  • konniehuqfan #33 3 years ago

    @tinners

    i think his point is that there's no need to stop fucking over europe, as long as europe happily bends over for more.

    unfortunately europe seems to be one of those girls who loves being treated like absolute shit.

  • RedSparrows #34 3 years ago

    Anyone who took this news in anything more than a '...' manner should shut the hell up.

    (plus, if one only owns a 360 - or PS3, for that matter, it's your only conduit for multi-format titles. Hence, why would you be sad?)
    Edited by 1 at 31/03/09 @ 19:42

  • ronuds #35 3 years ago

    You all should probably at least wait until after E3 until declaring what is or isn't releasing for the 360 this year. That's when they'll probably announce some holiday releases.

    I'm sure even after then, no matter what they announce, guys like Evil will say they have shit for games.

  • ronuds #36 3 years ago

    "I wish MS mouthpieces would finally understand that constantly taking pot shots at the competition rather than focussing on their own business doesn't exactly make them look very clever."

    Not saying I don't agree, but as a Sony fanboy you don't find your comment a little ironic? Wasn't it just last week we were arguing over a Sony cock doing the same thing?

  • Tetsuo_Shima #37 3 years ago

    "PS2 still has a better catalogue of games than all three put together"

    Amen to that.

  • Thunderbolt #38 3 years ago

    Bad,

    If you are interested I'll give my Xbox its just sitting my loft.

    Otherwise if anyone is interested just pm me

    (PS just to clarify its the Xbox1 and not the 360)

  • hiddenranbir #39 3 years ago

    Zzz, bloody hell Sony. Stop dicking around with the PS2.

  • rotmm #40 3 years ago

    @tinners,

    Oh, I agree with the sentiment, but just what is the incentive for Sony to look at Europe, and specifically the UK, as an equal territory? For years both Nintendo and Sony have looked at Europe as the 3rd class consumer with regards to pricing and release dates (for both consoles and games) and yet us Europeans have lapped it up and gone back for more.

    Ironically, Microsoft are given the least amount of love by Europeans, at the same time as being the only company to try and align releases here with US dates, as well as not screw us over with pricing.

  • bad09 #41 3 years ago

    @ Thunderbolt!

    Thanks that's real nice mate, I'm touched (and tempted!) :)

    Seriously tho, I'm not allowed anymore boxes around my telly and the old Xbox is one BIG box!

    No I'll live, once I replace the old girl I have the original MGS2 on PS2 so it's not all bad (besides if I really wanted to I could hunt down the PS2 version of Substance). Sad thing is I had my old box at my girlfriends and let her give it to a friend in need of a console thinking I wouldn't need it again (this was back when we were fed the "all xbox games will be B/C" bull).

  • Ryze #42 3 years ago

    I want upscaling and wireless pads, or it's no sale.

    2nd hand only.

  • bad09 #43 3 years ago

    No Ryze you didn't rush out and buy the high priced B/C model. The SDF say that you must now not want those things because you didn't rush out with 400 notes and so must put up with an old PS2.

    Come on no complaining now, plug in that scart, buy a crappy 3rd party wireless controller if you have to have wireless and suck it up! ;)

  • monkeylite #44 3 years ago

    Wouldn't it be great if the PS2 outlives even the 360?

    I still see plenty of life left in the old horse. Have a huge backlog of games yet to complete.

  • Xerx3s #45 3 years ago

    "MS are so focused on selling hardware they they forgot about software this year LOL

    I'd hate to be a 360-only gamer in 2009. "

    Well, better starving for games for the next 10 years than to be a sad fuck that posts pathetic comments like that.

    Not even commenting on how misguided it is, just like previous years. It would actually be kinda funny, seeing you repeat this comment in vain every year. If it wasn't so damned sad. Bringing up something so completely unrelated hints at some serious insecurity issues tbh.

    Fuck it, I feel dirty for even pointing that out.

  • Dizzy #46 3 years ago

    PS2? What is that?

    /checks date

  • superjag86 #47 3 years ago

    I loved the PS2 and I'm happy with my PS3, but I can't see why anyone looking for a new console would buy a £99 PS2 over a £129 Xbox 360

  • Mnia786 #48 3 years ago

    Typical MS exec, Sony and Nintendo dont bash the competition as much as MS. Only reason the xbrick exists is because MS (like the money grabbers they are) got jealous of Sony and Nintendo running the gaming business while no-one looked at the PC. STFU MS EXECS, NO ONE WANTS YOUR BS!!!

  • Daikon #49 3 years ago

    I loved the PS2 and I'm happy with my PS3, but I can't see why anyone looking for a new console would buy a £99 PS2 over a £129 Xbox 360

    RPGs?

  • bad09 #50 3 years ago

    "I loved the PS2 and I'm happy with my PS3, but I can't see why anyone looking for a new console would buy a £99 PS2 over a £129 Xbox 360"


    PS2 games? They don't work so well on 360.... ;)

  • playgen #51 3 years ago

    "I loved the PS2 and I'm happy with my PS3, but I can't see why anyone looking for a new console would buy a £99 PS2 over a £129 Xbox 360"

    Massive choice of games at super low prices, being a generation behind has its advantages.

  • TheVoice #52 3 years ago

    "We believe, however, that the future lies in the growth of current generation consoles..."

    State the obvious, why don't you. Is there any real reason for MS to even be commenting on this, other than the fact that they simply can?

    They could have quite easily surprised everyone instead by showing some respect for the PS2 considering how monumentally successful it was. But hey, why do that when you can belittle a 10 year old console instead by comparing it to new stuff? Perhaps they're jealous that Sony is actually making money from old hardware while the Xbox is left to rot in the store rooms of Gamestations everywhere.

    Pathetic really, it's like AMD issuing a press release tomorrow criticising the Pentium III.

  • FenderMaster #53 3 years ago

    "quite frankly you could fill in the the gaps yourself in the time it would take us to cut and paste it. "

    made me laugh!

  • Calgon #54 3 years ago

    TheVoice so you think MS gave a press release on the PS2? Couldnt be that EG pushed for a response?...

  • makeamazing #55 3 years ago

    Doesnt matter if they did or didnt push for a response, you just say "No comment". No difficult is it?

  • Eraser #56 3 years ago

    Every single PS2 that's still sold is Sony making money on a product that they've already written off. I doubt Sony will see this as a bad thing.

  • Darren #57 3 years ago

    It's quite unbelievable really that an eight old piece of console hardware is still selling for just £30 less than the Arcade Xbox 360 model. The console should be no more than £50 by now IMO, it must be as cheap as peanuts to make after all. Maybe the high price is to make up for the comparatively disappointing sales of the PS3?

  • Goodfella #58 3 years ago

    Lol, someone's touchy.

  • neonemesis #59 3 years ago

    Every single PS2 that's still sold is Sony making money on a product that they've already written off. I doubt Sony will see this as a bad thing.

    Aren't Sony planning to release a Wipeout game for PS2 this year? Or is that just undecided?

    In any case, anyone who is informed with regards to the back catalogue of the PS2 has no reason not to get one (unless they're the kind that refuses to but last gen tech of course). The sheer amount of beat em' ups on the system is staggering even if they aren't always the best ports and the RPG selection is huge. Given this, I'd rather buy another than get a 360 but that's just my personal preference.

  • Bulbatron #60 3 years ago

    I love my Xbox 360, but I don't know what he's sounding so triumphant about. I think the PlayStation 2 has done damn well and had some of the best games ever made. I suppose most, if not all consoles can lay claim to that, but I think the PlayStation 2 deserves every bit of applause it can get, and it says something about it when people are still talking about it - at least to a point.

  • Zomeguy #61 3 years ago

    Current gen is disappointing. Bought a Megadrive a couple of days ago...

  • BillyBrush #62 3 years ago

    It's just over one month to E3

    i'd suggest you have a month of lulz 2009 comments left

    so get them in while you can


    ....oh, you already did

    Evilfox, is it me or did you briefly switch sides there sometime this year and criticise the PS a lot, only to flit right back? this is rather confusing, please be more like Darren who has been on a steady but consistent slide towards the dark side over the year....youre too...flitty

  • TheVoice #63 3 years ago

    "TheVoice so you think MS gave a press release on the PS2?"

    Nope, I didn't say that. I simply said that MS commented on it, which is what they did.

  • mkreku #64 3 years ago

    I still buy new Singstars for my PS2. It's not quite dead yet.

  • tinners #65 3 years ago

    @ ROTMM - Indeed we have been getting fucked over for years, this should come as no surprise i guess but like you said MS are at least trying in some areas to make all zones equal....with the relase dates of big games etc.

    The PS3 for me shows how Sony clearly think and probably do have a monopoly so to speak in the industry what with the PS2 selling so well over its lifespan, at the same time i also understand as mentioned by someone else that we do bend over and take it up the garry glitter each and every time a new console is released or even something simple like a PS2 price drop, giving Sony no call to stop and think about how much they and other compays try and rip us off.

    And its not just games, it goes way back to anything that is released in america first and then sold for around £50 - 100 quid more over here. I wonder if the roles were reversed and America or Japan got screwed on the conversion and we get the respect us dedicated gamers deserve, would they rise up and boycot purchasing a PS3 or any other kit?, i seriously doubt it.

    Surely the whole madcatz fighting stick debacle of recent on ebay should show that people will always spend more if they want it bad enough, i used to be that way when the Gamecube was released in Japan, etc etc but im getting weary and its the main reason i have not bought a PS3 yet, and Sony have no intention of dropping the price so it's there way or the highway :/
    Edited by 1 at 01/04/09 @ 17:53