In honor of the PlayStation's 30th anniversary, Sony has launched a webpage revealing some interesting facts in its history — including the long-speculated lifetime sales of the PlayStation 2.

The website confirms that the PlayStation 2 has sold over 160 million consoles worldwide since it launched in 2000, making it the highest-selling console of all time. It's followed by two Nintendo consoles: the Nintendo DS at 154.02 million units sold, and the Nintendo Switch at 146 million consoles sold.

As the Switch has continued to blow past whatever lifetime sales target people expected it to when it first launched one last milestone remains ahead of it - can it overtake the PS2?

For those that don't know, the PS2's lifetime sales are legendary: released in 2000, it would go on to to reach upwards of 150 million units moved by 2011. Until recently, when the PS4 and Switch blew past the 100 million marker, it was truly in a league of its own save for the handheld DS with its 154 million. A feat accomplished through the combination of following up the already record breaking success of the original Playstation, being a relatively inexpensive DVD player at the time, price cuts, and importantly, popularity in South America due to its cheapness and the fact that piracy on it was incredibly easy ( !macacos might be able to attest to this).

However there is - or rather was - some controversy surrounding the exact figure. The last official figure given for the PS2 was 155 million in 2012 and production was finally discontinued in 2013. As a result, the actual final shipment total for the PS2 was murky and thus a subject for industry analysts and console warriors to speculate on. General consensus was somewhere between 155 and 160 million after that final year of production. This topic became increasingly more heated as the Switch went from merely being the third best selling system of all time to looking like it was going to end up at least within striking distance of the DS and PS2.

The spark that ignited proper slapfights over this was outoing SIE CEO Jim Ryan (the genius behind Sony's current fixation on Games as a Service) saying on a podcast that the PS2 had sold 160 million units. Since then, there has been frequent back and forth between Tendies and Sonyggers over whether this was an actual number or merely an estimate.

"He's just rounding up from 156 million or whatever off the top of his head."

"He's the CEO, why wouldn't he know?"

"If it's actually that high why did they never update the final number in their financial reports?"

"It's the fricking CEO, his word is as good as a financial report!"

"That's crazy how they sold 160 million PS2s. What made the PS2 so successful it sold 165 million copies? I can't believe they managed to sell 170 million PS2s all the way back in the 2000s. I don't think the Switch will ever reach the PS2's 175 million copies sold. Will there ever be a console that breaks the PS2's 180 million sales record?"

It was actually very common in these discussions for people to joke and seriously allege that Sony would continue upping the number as the Switch got closer and closer to reaching it. Because that is kind of what it looks like.

The anniversary blog was a big deal since it is the first time that Playstation proper affirmed Jimbo's claim and the console warriors who were convinced it was bullshit aren't taking it well.

https://boards.4chan.org/v/thread/695663453

Literally nobody believes this rewriting of history.
Until Sony actually shows receipts and proof of 160 then it's complete made up bullshit. Nintendo ACTUALLY have verification. Nintendo's Switch sales are real. Compared to Sony's 80,000,000 ps2s sold in fricking Latin America that can't ever EVER be proven. Just trust us bro

The reality is that the PS2 is nothing but padded numbers. The PS2 was sold for 14 (FOURTEEN) years. With about 40,000,000 units being sold for 50 bucks in South America in years 8-14. Real numbers of non 3rd world sales would probably be 110,000,000.
You think Nintendo couldn't sell a few million switches for 50 bucks in south America if they wanted? But Nintendo probably isn't as desperate and pathetic as Sony is. The Switch has sold for 8 year at FULL retail price without a single price cut EVER. 150 million at full RRP for 8 years. versus PS2 14 years. The Switch is already the GOAT system. It's going to equal the PS2 in half the time and by making more money than PS2 ever made.

"Those sales don't count because... they just don't, okay?!?!?!"

Salesstrags are mentally ill. Imagine getting worked up into a shoot because a console outsold another console. What the frick does anybody gain from this? Are you interested in video games or interested in sales projections for your shareholder meetings?

Not even Nintendo or Sony execs give a shit about if the PS2 is surpassed or not. It's just a business to them.

They have to lying at this stage. Release the actual figures instead of dropping "whatever Nintendo sold plus a million" every time they get close to being dethroned.

Imagine believing even the 155 million figure. Absolute bullshit even back then 15 years ago. Now they've sold a magical 5 million more? Get the frick out of here.
Where's the proof?

Lastly, random shoutout for some reason

Moral of the story is don't make sperging out over console sales your personality.