July 3rd, 2008

Cheap PlayStation 2 Consoles

I know we should talk about games here, but what can I do when, all of a sudden, everyone starts throwing with cheap game consoles at me? Hehe, don't get me wrong - I wish that would literally happen, as long as they don't throw them too fast, so I can catch them safely... Anyway, let's get serious now - after rumors about cheaper Xbox 360 consoles from Microsoft, now official sources from Sony say that a new PS2 model is on its way to India and Europe...

Why a new PlayStation 2, when PlayStation 3 is already around, and quite a hit? Well, the problem is that, in some markets, the PS3 is also a hit for most gamers' budgets, and that's why Sony announced this fourth version of the good old PlayStation 2.

In an interview with the Indian Economic Times, Sony's country manager Atindriya Bose said the launch will be simultaneous in Europe and India, and this should happen by the 28th of October. The new PS2 will be slimmer, and have a built-in AC adapter.

"PS2 is an entry-level console, which helps first timers to enter the gaming zone," and "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 PS2 anytime soon," said Bose.

Obviously, one would think about the impact on PS3 sales in those markets, but - come on! We're talking about emerging gaming markets here, and low priced products = success there, in most cases. While experienced gamers may go for the PS3, even in Russia or India, there are entire legions of newbies ready for a cheap gaming console, and the new PS2 will offer exactly what they're looking for.