Enthusiast and Mainstream media have spent countless hours in recent months reporting about Sony’s PS3, Microsoft’s Xbox360 and Nintendo’s Wii. Video game console sales are now front-page news for many of the nations largest newspapers. The term “Console Wars” became synonymous to describe the battle between manufactures for video game supremacy.
During the ongoing Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Sony announced that it has sold 100 million PS2 consoles globally since the year 2000 launch. Sony’s PS2 continues to outsell the newer PlayStation3 by a ratio of four to one. The company went on to ensure consumers continued PS2 support until at least 2010.
Also Game Publishers recognize the strong installment base of the console, many of the new products shown at the Games Convention will only be available for the newer PS3 and/or exclusively for Microsoft’s Xbox 360.
Gerhard Florin, general manager of international publishing at Electronic Arts told Reuters “PS2’s in the market may be handed on — not to the younger brother, but maybe to the older sister to play a party game. EA backed the statement by announcing a PS2 version of the upcoming music game “Rock Band”.
European Analysts expect video game consoles and console games to outsell PC games for the first time in history during the upcoming holiday shopping season. Unlike the United States, the European market is traditionally dominated by PC games. The continued success of Sony’s PS2, as well as the mass-market appeal of Nintendo’s Wii are credited for the change in consumer behavior.