The PS2's refusal to die.

[Piotr621]

As well all know by now, all of the last-generation consoles have now dropped off completely except for the PS2. Despite new-generation consoles and their games being now the biggest sellers, the PS2 is still getting new games among which are even very good exclusives (eg Persona 4) which is a lot more than you can say for the GC or Xbox. However, I believe that this has also turned now turned it into a cheap budget console, with cheap shovelware and shoddy ports being released for it. Share your ideas on this.

 

[j0frenzy]

I think it is a good idea on Sony's part to release cheap ports and new games on their old system, though it is a bit awkward for everyone else to see it still getting games. As long as the games keep on selling, it is a good investment on their part since not everyone can afford the PS3. I don't expect it to last much longer, but I assume someone is still paying money for this stuff, so kudos to Sony for discovering an untapped market in people they were selling stuff to approximately 2 year ago.

 

[Sporky111]

The PS2 is still better than the PS3 because:
-it is cheaper
-it has more good games
-the games are cheaper
-most people who like them already have one

Face it, Sony tanked the PS3.

 

[Piotr621]

Yes I forgot to consider the PS3 itself. I myself don't own a next-gen console (though I have played a lot on them) but I agree, the PS3 was a failure. So much pontential was completely wasted on it.

 

[peduncle]

It's definitely easier to make games for the PS2, and if people are still buying them, who is Sony to argue? and the PS2 is still handy as a movie player

 

[Enigmers]

It's an amazing budget system with a huge library of great games, and it's pretty stable and won't keel over and die on you like the XBox 360.

 

[Piotr621]

Yes I forgot to consider the PS3 itself. I myself don't own a next-gen console (though I have played a lot on them) but I agree, the PS3 was a failure. So much pontential was completely wasted on it.

Wait, what? I thought the PS3 is a great console. What's wrong with it?

On topic. The PS2 was a great system which most people still have and Sony wanted to continue making games for it. They could have stopped like Nintendo or Microsoft did but they wanted to keep going.

There is nothing wrong with the console itself, it's just how it was marketed and developed in the later stages. Too high a price for a console seems to be the predominant thought amongst gamers. That and it doesn't support PS2 games. So kudos to Sony realising that most PS2 fan's are going to stay like that- as PS2 fans.

 

[MrBrightside919]

I find it admirable that the PS2 is still alive and kicking. I still play mine (cuz my PS3 isn't backwards compatible)

 

[Fightgarr]

The sheer amount of games encourages people to continue buying consoles. The sheer amount of good games continues people buying older titles. The lack of titles for the PS3 means that people aren't buying too many consoles. The PS2 has some games that next gen consoles have even if they're budget versions. All this said and the fact that the games are easier for devs to make, you can easily see why the PS2 still sells and why games continue to be produced for it.

 

[LoopyDood]

It's an amazing budget system with a huge library of great games, and it's pretty stable and won't keel over and die on you like the XBox 360.

As far as reliability goes, it was last generation's 360. However, the newer versions are very stable.

 

[Piotr621]

The thing that I like about the PS2's new lineup is that the developers aren't trying to push the envelope with graphics because it is easy for them to make PS2 level graphics ever since they started to work in the next-gen market. This means that we now have more attention focused on gameplay and the fact that a lot of PS2 games are better then some next-gen games encourages the statement-"Substance over style".

 

[Merciless.Fire]

The PS2 is the best selling game system of all time, topping 150 million units, and is still in the top 5 every month for console sales. It has the right combination for anyone to have a reason to get it:

-Relatively cheap price ($129.99 new last time I checked)
-Cheap games (Most are $19.99 Greatest Hits)
-Continues to be supported (new games coming out)
-Very reliable

For the price of buying a Nintendo DS, you can get yourself an actual console and play decent console games for under the price of the 360 and Wii. All these points above are what draws people of all incomes and age groups to continue to purchase it.

Yes I forgot to consider the PS3 itself. I myself don't own a next-gen console (though I have played a lot on them) but I agree, the PS3 was a failure. So much potential was completely wasted on it.

Not a failure, the PS2 was very pricey when it first came out, and it didn't do substantially well at first, but there wasn't the XBOX out to compete with it, and the GC was a flop right away. In terms of economics, when technology increases meaning a decrease in inputs of making the machine, the supply for the good will increase, meaning a decrease in price and increase in supply, meaning a happier you. It just takes time.

 

[Cliff_m85]

Simply put, the PS2 is an amazing console with a great collection of games. I sold mine to my bro and put that money down for Rock Band 2 on Xbox360, but I still visit every once in awhile to play some Shadow of the Collosus.

 

[Hippopotamus]

As far as reliability goes, it was last generation's 360. However, the newer versions are very stable.

I keep hearing this, but I bought the PS2 back when it first dropped to $200. It was the original, large, almost DVD-player like size, and it lasted all these years. I only got rid of it so I could buy a PS2-compatible PS3.

A friend of mine through his PS2 against the wall after losing against the computer in Madden. He then complained about SOny's lack of quality control. /deviation.

 

[KeyMaster45]

That and it doesn't support PS2 games. So kudos to Sony realising that most PS2 fan's are going to stay like that- as PS2 fans.

would it really be so hard for sony to simply make the damn thing backwards compatable, or does the built in blue ray player put a monkey wrench in any hopes for that? If I could run ps2 games on it I can certainly say I'd be more inclined to purchase it.

 

[Merciless.Fire]

That and it doesn't support PS2 games. So kudos to Sony realising that most PS2 fan's are going to stay like that- as PS2 fans.

would it really be so hard for sony to simply make the damn thing backwards compatable, or does the built in blue ray player put a monkey wrench in any hopes for that?

As technology moves ahead, past technologies have to take the fall at some point. VHS has pretty much bit the bullet now, as DVD has taken over, and Blu-Ray should take over in, at most, a decade or so. The cost of including backwards compatibility means the PS2 Emotion Engine microprocessor to be included with the Cell microprocessor, plus the added burden of switching between both processors makes it a precarious situation that Sony didn't want to deal with. Plus, if you are inclined to want to have a PS2, they are damn well cheap.

 

[coldfrog]

That and it doesn't support PS2 games. So kudos to Sony realising that most PS2 fan's are going to stay like that- as PS2 fans.

would it really be so hard for sony to simply make the damn thing backwards compatable, or does the built in blue ray player put a monkey wrench in any hopes for that? If I could run ps2 games on it I can certainly say I'd be more inclined to purchase it.

Actually, some of the older PS3's DO support backwards compatibility, but for some reason they left it out of the newer ones. Frankly, I think it's a mistake for them because now I'm going to buy a PS3 from E-Bay.

As for the shovelware/ports on PS2, every system's got it's toxic waste dump, PS2's just been around longer to accumulate more garbage. It's still my favorite system.

 

[Merciless.Fire]

It's an amazing budget system with a huge library of great games, and it's pretty stable and won't keel over and die on you like the XBox 360.

As far as reliability goes, it was last generation's 360. However, the newer versions are very stable.

Not really. The Disc Read issues were removed after a year. Over 3 years in, the 360 has no plans to even try to get rid of RROD.

Still don't get Microsoft's reasoning for it. Never will.

 

[imperialwar]

wow, you know i always naturally assumed that PS3 was backwards compat, and now i find it's not !!I guess the whole Blu Ray thing. I just assumed there would be some way to play the old stuff on them. Thank the gaming gods i haven't bought one. That is a huge mistake on Sony's part i think.
Considering how much of a brick of a console it already is surely they could add another laser in there to read PS1+2 games ?
I guess it comes down to the Blue Ray band wagon they expected everyone to jump on. Which really has been a case of " i can't tell the difference " from the word around town.
So, people are content with their DVD's and DVD games, and to not include that in some way is a big ol' hole in the foot from Sony. IMO.

 

[Merciless.Fire]

wow, you know i always naturally assumed that PS3 was backwards compat, and now i find it's not !!I guess the whole Blu Ray thing. I just assumed there would be some way to play the old stuff on them. Thank the gaming gods i haven't bought one. That is a huge mistake on Sony's part i think.
Considering how much of a brick of a console it already is surely they could add another laser in there to read PS1+2 games ?
I guess it comes down to the Blue Ray band wagon they expected everyone to jump on. Which really has been a case of " i can't tell the difference " from the word around town.
So, people are content with their DVD's and DVD games, and to not include that in some way is a big ol' hole in the foot from Sony. IMO.

The Blu-Ray/HD revolution hasn't hit mainstream consumers yet. It's still a premium item, although fast approaching quite attainable status. DVDs are fine for consumers, they cost very little and offer decent quality, nothing wrong with that. Blu-Ray will hit that point sooner or later and become the new DVD.