Sony will introduce a new white version of the popular PlayStation 2 (PS2) games console to take advantage of the continued popularity of the classic black PS2, simultaneously offering a Christmas bargain at under US$150, however the local market isn’t large enough to justify the console’s launch here.
The white PS2, with the ‘SingStar Pop” game and two microphones, will sell in the USA for US$149.99, reaching stores early November.
“We don’t have any plans at the moment to launch a white version of the PS2 here in Australia,” said Sony Australia this morning.
The PS2 continues to out-sell the newer (and more expensive) PlayStation 3, with 120 million PS2 units sold worldwide since the console was introduced seven years ago. More than 1,500 games have been published for the console and another 160 will be introduced during the holiday season and during the first quarter of 2008 in the US, Sony said yesterday.
However, Sony isn’t losing out, with sales of its two consoles complementing each other rather than causing competition.
“If they’re profitable on the PS2, as we think they are, it takes a little of the loss away on the PS3,” said analyst Mike Hickey, who follows video-game publishers for Janco Partners.
Sony’s games division announced losses of more than double last year, to 96.7 billion yen (US$846.7 million) in the quarter ended September 30.
