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Sony says the PlayStation 2 has sold more than 160 million consoles worldwide since 2000. That is the figure on PlayStation’s official history page—not an exact final total: the page gives neither a precise count nor a date through which sales were measured.
How many PlayStation 2 consoles has Sony sold?
Sony’s official PlayStation history page states that the PS2 had “over 160,000,000 consoles sold worldwide since 2000.” The wording establishes a worldwide threshold, not an exact lifetime tally or a dated cutoff. Sony does not identify an individual speaker for the statement.
The console first launched in Japan on March 4, 2000, followed by North America on October 26 and Europe on November 24. Sony’s wording says “since 2000,” but does not specify a later end date for the total. Sony’s PlayStation history timeline
What Sony’s earlier sales figures show
Sony published earlier milestones with dates and different terminology. Those figures show reported growth, but Sony’s official statements do not provide a dated reconciliation explaining how the later “over 160 million” figure relates to them.
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- The Playstation 2 system lets you play original PS1 games as well as the huge selection of PS2 games
- Includes: Playstation 2 System, 1 Dual Shock 2 Controller, AC Cable, AV Cable
- Color: Black
- PlayStation2 is equipped with a 128-bit Emotion Engine processor that enables lightning-fast gameplay and impressive graphics power
| Milestone | What Sony reported | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| November 29, 2005 | 100.01 million cumulative worldwide shipments | Sony’s dated shipment figure; regional breakdown was Japan (including Asia), 22.22 million; North America, 40.65 million; and Europe/PAL, 37.14 million. Sony Computer Entertainment, November 30, 2005 |
| January 31, 2011 | 150 million cumulative sales worldwide | Sony explicitly described this as a “sell-in number,” not a verified count of units purchased by end users. Sony Computer Entertainment, February 14, 2011 |
| Undated history-page entry | Over 160 million consoles sold worldwide since 2000 | The page does not give an exact total or measurement cutoff. PlayStation history timeline |
“Shipments,” “sell-in,” and “sold” are not interchangeable descriptions. The 2005 figure is explicitly shipments, the 2011 release labels its number sell-in, and the current history page uses “sold.” Without a published accounting reconciliation, the safest description is that Sony says the PS2 sold over 160 million worldwide—not that a precise independently verified number of consumers bought that many units.
Why the PS2’s sales story has broader context
Sony’s history page highlights DVD playback, online functionality, and compatibility with original PlayStation discs among the PS2’s features. It says dedicated DVD players could be costly at the time and presents the combination of games and DVD playback as appealing to price-conscious consumers. That is Sony’s historical explanation, not a quantified analysis showing how much any one feature contributed to sales.
Rank #2
- DualShock Controller
- DVD playback
- Digital surround sound
- 2 memory card slots
Sony also documents hardware changes during the console’s life, including a thinner, lighter Slim model released in late 2004, followed by variations in color and form factor. The company says a Network Adaptor add-on brought online play to the PS2 in 2001; Final Fantasy XI’s last official PS2 server remained active until 2016. These details help explain the platform’s long history, but do not establish a specific cause for the 160-million-plus milestone. PlayStation’s account of PS2 features and history
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Console sales are not game sales
Sony separately reported 1.52 billion PS2 software units sold worldwide as of the end of December 2011. That is a software figure, distinct from the number of consoles, and it should not be added to or confused with hardware sales. Sony Computer Entertainment, February 14, 2011
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Original PS2 Console in Black
- Power Cable
- A/V Composite Cables for connecting to your TV
- 2 New Wireless Aftermarket Controllers
- 2 New Controller Receiver Dongles
Rank #4
- PS2 SLIM Console in Black
- Power Adapter
- A/V Composite Cables for connecting to your TV
- 2 New Wireless Aftermarket Controllers
- 2 New Controller Receiver Dongles
Rank #3
- Power Cords & adapters included
- DualShock Controller
- DVD playback
- Digital surround sound
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