Sony to launch fourth version of PS-2 by Diwali- Entertainment-Media / Entertainment -News By Industry-News-The Economic Times


MUMBAI: Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) will be launching the fourth version of playstation-2 (PS-2) by Diwali this year. This will simultaneously be released in the European and Indian markets, said SCE country manager (playstation) Atindriya Bose to ET.

The higher-end version promises to be slimer, sleeker and more suave in its looks. There will be no more external AC adapters, all of which will be in-built and the product price will also be the same as the earlier version (Rs 6,990).

SCE India will also be launching the playstation network for their playstation-3 in India, which will allow gamers to download free games and also buy them online. This portal is already available in the US and Europe.

“The playstation network is ready for India. It is only the integration of the payment gateway that needs to be done.” said Mr Bose. We shall launch it by the end of this fiscal, he added.

Sony Play Station, over the last 13 years, has evolved as every gamers aspiration. It has its own cult following and to grow this base, SCE wants to market PS-2 as gaming console for novices of all age groups and class.

“PS-2 is an entry-level console, which helps first timers to enter the gaming zone,” said Mr Bose. While PS-3 failed to make as great an impact as PS-2, SCE wants to tap the BRIC markets with PS-2.

It has a 120-million installed base, worldwide, with 3,40,000 of these being in India alone. “We feel PS-2 has the potential to penetrate further into the Indian and Russian markets. Console gaming is in its nascent stage in India. These are untapped markets and are new to the gaming world, hence we have no plans to phase out PS-2 anytime soon,” he added.

Asked if this would affect the market for PS-3, Mr Bose said that would not be the case. “We do not market it as a PS-2 or PS-3. It is the experience of the PS that we market. PS-3 is for the next generation. People who are first timers in the gaming market want to pick up PS-2 and experience that, before upgrading to PS-3,” he said.

An update on this story it seems as though the new PS2s are hitting US stores
New PS2 Models Hitting US Stores

Multiple readers across North America have emailed to inform us that the new, slightly smaller, AC adapter-less PlayStation 2 systems are hitting U.S. retail outlets this week. Reader Schpadoinkle666 works at Walmart (we're sorry) and sends us a picture of the new package, while a guy named Creighton sends word that he found one in his local Fry's Electronics yesterday.

I was browsing the local Fry's Electronics on Monday and saw that they had the 90000 series PS2s in stock for $129. The box was slightly smaller than the slims (reduced to $124); the definitive clue to me was that the description of the box contents mentioned an ac cord but omitted mention of an ac adapter.

Lovely! Now if they'd just knock down that price another $30 I would buy one for every room in the house.