Are new PS2s drying up?

[quote name='matters38']Whoa! When the hell did this happen? I don't follow the gaming news sites heavily but I don't remember there being an announcement that they were discontinuing the system. I checked BB site and they didn't have them either.[/QUOTE]
There hasn't been an announcement, and PS2s are still being counted in the monthly NPD sales reports, so I would assume the system's still being manufactured. The Amazon situation is somewhat worrying, though.
 
You can pickup Shadow of the Colossus for about $20. It is one of the greatest games of all time, and is worth every penny. If you can find Ico, pick that up to, but it'll probably be hard to come by.

Final Fantasy X is a great game, if you have 40-60 hours to devote to a jrpg.
 
Make an investment in ChoroQ. Guaranteed to be the most sought after game on the PS2. Come on, it's a caRPG!11!!!11

Seriously though.. there's another thread about the PS2 supply drying up. I don't doubt it..
 
Links to the main retailers:

Walmart: http://www.walmart.com/browse/Conso...d=490130&fromPageCatId=490130&catNavId=490130 (all showing as no longer available online, though available in-store)
Target: http://www.target.com/PlayStation-2-Console-Black/dp/B000TLU67W/sr=1-5/qid=1267055072/ref=sr_1_5/191-7765183-5994142?ie=UTF8&search-alias=tgt-index&frombrowse=0&index=target&rh=k%3APS2%20system&page=1 (shows as no longer available online, though available in-store)
Best Buy: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Sony+-+...7358855&skuId=7266638&st=PS2 system&cp=1&lp=1 (not available for shipping, though available for in-store pickup)
Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/PlayStation-2..._1?ie=UTF8&s=videogames&qid=1267055142&sr=8-1 (black console showing as in-stock from Amazon directly, though wasn't in stock at the beginning of the week; other consoles only being sold through 3rd party vendors)
Buy.com: http://www.buy.com/prod/playstation-2-system-black/q/loc/108/208456405.html (only available from 3rd party sellers)
SonyStyle.com: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs...1&categoryId=8198552921644569400&N=4294965452 (available and in-stock)
Samsclub.com: Nothing found for searching under "PS2 system" or "PS2 console"; people have found them in-stock at some Sam's Club stores at a discount

I'd take a look at that list and assume the PS2 on its way out from retail sales, though hasn't quite made it that way yet. Soon, I'd assume.
 
Kinda weird if they stop making them now. Didn't they just drop the price last year to 99 bucks? I would have thought they would ride that 99 dollar price point for at least a couple years before they ceased manufacturing. Surely they have to be making a profit at this point on the hardware? Dvd players are like $20-30 a lot of the time. As of now it looks like Walmart has it for $99 and Buy.com has it for $109 and everyone else is out of stock with the exception of 3rd party vendors. Anyone else notice the 3rd party vendors are already jacking prices up on Amazon? C'mon, $150 for a PS2? Really guys?
 
What Final Fantasy version? Unless I'm forgetting something, the only bundle that could conceivably still show up in stores is the Lego Batman one from late 2008.

What all did it come with?
 
I spoke to a salesman at my local Gamestop who informed me that the PS2 had been discontinued according to their system. Seemed a little early to me but maybe they are wanting to kill of the PS2 disc market and introduce downloadable PS2 games at E3 this year.
 
It does seem to be drying up now but it's not gone yet. You have to think Sony would make an official announcement of the end of production of the most successful console ever.
 
[quote name='slfc']It does seem to be drying up now but it's not gone yet. You have to think Sony would make an official announcement of the end of production of the most successful console ever.[/QUOTE]

I have a theory. I don't think Sony is ceasing production. But I do think they are no longer shipping new units to North America. If you'll notice the PS2 was recently launched in South America a few weeks ago. In fact, I know a guy in Brazil who says it just came out there and retails for $900. In my talk with a Gamestop employee today he said that they are no longer recieving new consoles but the consoles that they do have are not moving at all at $99 because either everyone has one already or has moved on to the next gen consoles. He said they had them on sale a couple weeks ago for $89 and they didn't even sell one console.

Think about it, Sony can easily just keep making the PS2 consoles but divert them to South America where the system is brand new, in demand, and sells for a lot more money which leads to higher margins. Also in North America there are less than 10 more games coming out for the system now and the bulk of game sales at this point are for used PS2 games on which Sony makes no money.

It makes financial sense to move away from PS2 sales in North America which isn't making Sony much money and concentrate on PSP/PS3 and leave the "hot" new PS2 to the South American market. I have a feeling this happened with the PSone as well though I don't know where they shifted the market to at that time (China? Perhaps?) because they didn't announce the end of production until March of 2006 yet I dare you to find one PSone console in North America that has a production date of any time later than 2002/2003. In fact my PSone that I bought in 2005 off a dusty Sears clearance shelf only had a manufacturing date of 2002. Obviously some other country was receiving new PSones from 2003-2006 but it wasn't us.

All told I think there is still a lot of new PS2 consoles out there in stores. I saw three today at a Gamestop I went to and another 10 at my local base exchange. I think what is out there will last a while, probably through the holidays. After Christmas 2010 though? You probably won't find too many brand new PS2s. Time to keep an eye out for clearance drops over the next 6 or 7 months while product is still available.
 
I always see my BBY with about 5 or 6 in stock. I always contemplate picking up another PS2 and keeping it sealed, just in case because you never know.
 
I contemplate buying a second one because my PS2 acts funny sometimes and my PS3 is not BC, but $99 is too much at this late a date for a backup. Make it 50 bucks and I'll buy one tomorrow.
 
[quote name='slfc']I contemplate buying a second one because my PS2 acts funny sometimes and my PS3 is not BC, but $99 is too much at this late a date for a backup. Make it 50 bucks and I'll buy one tomorrow.[/QUOTE]

Yeah -- I'd like to get one, but my fat PS2 runs with no hitches still. I do have 180+ games on it so I do want a back-up system in case the fat dies (not that I use it much anyways). All my old consoles seem to be running just fine, though. Worst case scenario, I have to get one from eBay :) and I'm okay with that. Something tells me the demand won't be all that high.
 
[quote name='slfc']I contemplate buying a second one because my PS2 acts funny sometimes and my PS3 is not BC, but $99 is too much at this late a date for a backup. Make it 50 bucks and I'll buy one tomorrow.[/QUOTE]
$50? Why not $19.99?

Has any console ever sold for $50, other than the Dreamcast after Sega decided to get out of the hardware business?
 
Even if you guys don't pick up a backup console, make sure to pick up on official controllers. I have 5 and only the 1 that came with my 2nd PS2 is in good shape. Going to stock up on few in coming weeks.
 
[quote name='lmz00']$50? Why not $19.99?

Has any console ever sold for $50, other than the Dreamcast after Sega decided to get out of the hardware business?[/QUOTE]
In terms of MSRP? There was the Atari 2600, but that was really late in the system's life.

I don't remember Dreamcasts going for $50. When Sega first made that announcement, they dropped the price to $100. $50 sounds more like a store's clearance price to me.

Anyway, I plan on getting a backup PS2 soon myself. Couldn't hurt, especially in light of the fact that I'm currently on my second PS2.
 
[quote name='slfc']Sony would make an official announcement of the end of production of the most successful console ever.[/QUOTE]

Sony didn't/doesn't make the Gameboy.
 
The Dreamcasts were $50 at my local Shopko the last Christmas they were on shelves. I'm not sure if that was an official drop or the store's decision. I'm with you I don't believe any other systems but the Atari 2600 dropped below $50 MSRP. The NES reached $79 and the PSone reached $99. I think generally once they reach about $99 they just stop making them and move on to the next console completely. Obviously some stores will clearance consoles on their own and its YMMV from that point. I picked up two PSone consoles a few years back at Sears for $10 each.


[quote name='blueshinra']In terms of MSRP? There was the Atari 2600, but that was really late in the system's life.

I don't remember Dreamcasts going for $50. When Sega first made that announcement, they dropped the price to $100. $50 sounds more like a store's clearance price to me.

Anyway, I plan on getting a backup PS2 soon myself. Couldn't hurt, especially in light of the fact that I'm currently on my second PS2.[/QUOTE]
 
[quote name='lmz00']$50? Why not $19.99?

Has any console ever sold for $50, other than the Dreamcast after Sega decided to get out of the hardware business?[/QUOTE]

The Toploader NES with the dogbone controller retailed for $50 when it was new. It came out well into the SNES/Genesis era.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']Didn't GameCube end its run with an MSRP of $49.99?[/QUOTE]

I'm pretty sure it never went below $99 officially. There was a black Gamecube in a crumpled box that I stalked for years at Circuit City. A few weeks before my local store closed it was still marked $99.
 
I have an old phat PS2 from 2002, I've been thinking of buying a slimline for a backup for awhile. But it always comes down to "I'd rather spend that $100 on more games." I never can bring myself to actually buying one.
 
[quote name='Ryuukishi']Didn't GameCube end its run with an MSRP of $49.99?[/QUOTE]

My local Toys R Us has like 5 GameCubes marked at $49.99.. I keep waiting for them to hit $20, but I don't think that's ever going to happen. :cry:
 
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