Tag Archives: PS2

China’s complicated history with video games: when a ban isn’t really a ban

Posted on by

A cubical shop in Huaqiangbei offering legit foreign game consoles.

Earlier this week, China Daily quoted an anonymous government source -- allegedly straight from the Ministry of Culture -- saying China is considering lifting a 12-year-old "ban" on game consoles soon. While it's was unclear how reliable the source was at the time, the Tokyo stock market sucked it up anyway, with Bloomberg observing a significant rise for Sony and Nintendo after the rumor was published. Then today we learned from Tech In Asia that Dongfang Daily followed up with two representatives from the Ministry of Culture, one of which said the department has never looked into lifting the ban, while the other person was more vague about the matter. But here's the thing: game consoles were never really banned in China. Allow us to set the record straight for you.

Filed under: , ,

Comments

PlayStation 2 Shipments In Japan Come To An End

Posted on by
attachment

The PlayStation 2′s life is coming to an end in Japan after 12 amazing years.

After selling a record number of consoles worldwide and further cementing Sony’s place as a videogame making power-house (well, before klutz-ing it all up with the PS3), it appears that the PlayStation 2 has reached its ...
Continue Reading on Walyou

Sony’s Playstation 2 Ending Production

Posted on by

Sony Playstation 2 Console with ControllerSony’s Playstation 2 game console has practically been a staple with gaming retailers for years, and is likely found in homes of most gamers throughout the country. After nearly 13 years of production, despite newer Playstation generations, it looks like Sony is calling an end to the production of the PS2 game console, according to Famitsu.

Even though the PS3 launched in in late 2006, Sony continued to keep the PS2 alive with a major design update and a few game launches here and there, not to mention the large library of existing titles. This announcement is announcing the end of production for the PS2 console in Japan with a plan to sell of the remaining production stock, and a stop to production in the US and other countries is sure to follow.

It’s doubtful that this announcement is going to cause a Twinkie-like buying frenzy, though. PS2 games still work in the latest Sony game console and there seems to be plenty of PS2′s around. It’s a little sad however to see a console with this level of selling stamina being called to an end.

Ars Tech

Sony PS2 Goes Quietly into the Night

Posted on by

Any gamer that has been around for more than a few years will remember the Sony PlayStation 2 and will have fond memories of countless hours spent gaming on the console. Throughout its 12 years of life, the venerable PS2 was one of the best-selling videogame consoles ever produced with over 150 million units sold since it debuted in 2000.

If you’re a fan of the PS2, this will be a little heartbreaking to hear. Effective immediately, Sony has stopped shipping PlayStation 2 consoles to Japanese retailers. That means once existing stock is depleted there will be no more new PS2 consoles.

ps2 fat slim

The original fat PS2 consoles were replaced by slim consoles in 2004 to stoke sales (and reduce costs) long after the PS2 originally launched. The PS2 enjoys a massive library of games, and game developers have continued to produce games for the platform many years after it debuted. Personally, I don’t see the PS3 having the same sort of longevity that the PS2 enjoyed, but without any imminent plans for the release of a PS4, I could be wrong.

[via Kotaku]

PlayStation 2 reaches retirement age, is discontinued in Japan

Posted on by

PlayStation 2 reaches retirement age, is discontinued in Japan

Sony's PlayStation 3 has been on the market so long you'd think that production of the relatively ancient PS2 stopped some time ago. Well, that wasn't true, but according to the Japanese PlayStation website, the PS2 has now officially been discontinued in the region. Japanese site Famitsu adds that shipments of the console have ended, so once the remaining stock has been depleted in Japan, there'll be no replenishment. It's a sad thought, but let's remember the good times -- the PS2's various iterations have been entertaining gamers for 12 years, and with over 150 million units purchased worldwide it's become the best selling console in history. We're not sure if the PS2 is still shipping to other regions, but its retirement in Japan is probably the beginning of the end globally, so we'd recommend you pick one up now if you intend to explore that extensive back catalogue one day. The PS2 era may be drawing to a close, but its legacy will live on and it can now rub controllers with the other greats in console heaven -- we still miss you, Dreamcast.

Filed under: ,

Comments

Via: The Verge

Source: Sony PlayStation (Japanese), Famitsu (Japanese)

Final Fantasy Ultimate Box goes from PSOne to PS3: All 13 games for $450

Posted on by

Final Fantasy Ultimate Box packs all 13 games for $450 from PSOne to PS3, with some extra commemorative goodness

To mark 25 years of dungeon crawling (and soft-resetting), Square-Enix has packaged together all of its core Final Fantasy titles for this elaborate fan-baiting package. Alongside discs for Final Fantasies I through XIII, the games-maker has packaged a numbered presentation plaque -- replete with new artwork from renowned character artist Yoshitaka Amano -- alongside a two-disc soundtrack and commemorative DVD. The price of a limited-edition slice of Final Fantasy heritage? A total of 35,000 gil yen, (around $450) will net you the compilation, which lands on December 18th. Japan residents can hit the source for preorder details, while global enthusiasts can read up on the full title (and format) breakdown -- there's no news of an international release just yet.

Filed under:

Final Fantasy Ultimate Box goes from PSOne to PS3: All 13 games for $450 originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 06:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceSquare-Enix  | Email this | Comments

Final Fantasy Ultimate Box goes from PSOne to PS3: All 13 games for $450

Posted on by

Final Fantasy Ultimate Box packs all 13 games for $450 from PSOne to PS3, with some extra commemorative goodness

To mark 25 years of dungeon crawling (and soft-resetting), Square-Enix has packaged together all of its core Final Fantasy titles for this elaborate fan-baiting package. Alongside discs for Final Fantasies I through XIII, the games-maker has packaged a numbered presentation plaque -- replete with new artwork from renowned character artist Yoshitaka Amano -- alongside a two-disc soundtrack and commemorative DVD. The price of a limited-edition slice of Final Fantasy heritage? A total of 35,000 gil yen, (around $450) will net you the compilation, which lands on December 18th. Japan residents can hit the source for preorder details, while global enthusiasts can read up on the full title (and format) breakdown -- there's no news of an international release just yet.

Filed under:

Final Fantasy Ultimate Box goes from PSOne to PS3: All 13 games for $450 originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:13:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourceSquare-Enix  | Email this | Comments

Sony Japan: PSOne classics coming to Vita in summer update, PlayStation 3 to get downloadable PS2 catalog later this month

Posted on by

PS One classics coming to Vita in 18 update, PS3 gets access to downloadable PS2 catalogue in Japan later this month

If you've been aching to wile away hundreds more hours replaying Final Fantasy classics on the go, then Sony Japan's got some good news for you. It's finally revealed that the ability to play those charming, if a little dated, PSOne titles will arrive on the PS Vita's next software update, version 1.80, later this summer. This little nugget was tucked away behind the news that a handful of PS2 titles, playable on all versions of the PS3, will launch in the Japanese PlayStation Store on July 25th. The first wave of titles include Biohazard Code: Veronica, Siren and Dragon Force, all priced between 800 and 1,200 yen. No news yet, however, on when (or if) a similar retro-gaming bounty will arrive outside of Japan.

Sony Japan: PSOne classics coming to Vita in summer update, PlayStation 3 to get downloadable PS2 catalog later this month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 02:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Joystiq  |  sourcePlayStation Japan (translated)  | Email this | Comments

Project Unity stuffs 20 classic consoles into one: if you can’t play it, it’s probably too new (video)

Posted on by

Unity Project stuffs 20 classic consoles into one if you can't play it, it's probably too new video

Most gamer who want to play with more than one or two vintage console platforms often turn to software-based emulators that may or may not be above-board. How about stuffing all of the authentic hardware into one controller and one base unit? Modders at Bacteria's forums have developed Project Unity, an attempt to natively address 20 consoles across 17 actual platforms folded into a single device. The gamepad, arguably the centerpiece, includes two each of analog sticks and directional pads, along with multiple shoulder buttons and a central button grid that can either be used to steer an Intellivision or fill in for otherwise missing controls. Stuffing the unique controller hardware into one gamepad obviously presents problems with board sizes and the laws of physics, so much of the relevant circuitry sits in modified NES cartridges. Our only dismays are the lack of original Xbox support and the slightly imposing challenge of aggregating and modifying that much classic gaming componentry in one place -- if you're more concerned about convenience in your retro gaming than preserving the original feel of that Sega Master System or SNK NeoGeo, though, you've just found Utopia.

Continue reading Project Unity stuffs 20 classic consoles into one: if you can't play it, it's probably too new (video)

Project Unity stuffs 20 classic consoles into one: if you can't play it, it's probably too new (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Jun 2012 17:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Technabob  |  sourceProject Unity (Bacteria's Forum)  | Email this | Comments