PS3 set to beat PS2 lifetime sales says Reeves

by Majed Athab { Jun 20th 2008 at 2:00PM }

It's a bit hard to imagine that the PS3 will eventually beat out the PS2's nearly 130 million units lifetime sales, but SCEE president David Reeves believes this is going to happen. Backing up the claim, Reeves stated: "The PS3 install base is growing faster than the PS2's was at this point in its lifecycle." Currently, the PS3 is around the 13 million mark in worldwide sales after having launched back in late 2006 -- that's ten percent of the PS2's current lifetime sales and six years to play catch up.

"The next five years are going to be turbulent. But I think it is going to be the most exciting period that we have ever seen in the past ten years of videogames," he added. With a recent big exclusive just released and many more on the way, we're not surprised by Mr. Reeves' confidence. However, that confidence isn't cockiness, "We welcome all competition. Whatever happens, we are all going to do well. We should celebrate the growth of the industry." We're happy to see such optimism and goodwill, and we'd like to see Mr. Reeves' predictions come true. We still think, however, the PS3 has a long way to go in proving itself to its older brother the PS2.

Tags: david-reeves

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

adolson @ Jun 20th 2008 2:07PM

You never know, really.. It could happen. All of my real-life friends that have PS3s, myself included, only got them in 2008. I can't imagine how many more people had been waiting for MGS4, or some other game that hasn't launched yet. There is a lot of potential there.

But no matter how you look at it, there is room for all three consoles right now, and I don't see that changing for a while, really.

Riley Freeman @ Jun 20th 2008 4:16PM

u have fake life friends? lol sorry i had to :P

Dehshizknight @ Jun 22nd 2008 12:30AM

Lol, Riley, +1 from me.

FrankTheCrank @ Jun 20th 2008 2:26PM

I think Reeves has a good point....whatever happens, everyone will do well. There seems to be enough money to support three platforms. And the three platforms seem to have their own niches.

RagingStormX @ Jun 20th 2008 2:40PM

I don't think so......alot of good games that the PS2 had as exclusives are now multiplat. And not to mention it was king of the JRPG's, strong 2D fighter & shmup support......with the way things are going for the PS3, I won't hold my breath. But its going to take Sony delivering on their promises and developers stepping their game up for the PS3 to be as successfull or better. Because it was not specs and the possiblities of the PS2 made it the sucees that it is today...its the libary of games.

Wise Guy @ Jun 20th 2008 2:58PM

Not saying that PS3 isn't a nice piece of hardware....but 130 million??? Come on. What are you going to drop the price to $99?? Only hand helds can carry those kinda numbers... no console will sell that many at $250+. Not to mention that PS2 had a huge library of current and backwards games and was a dvd player. Blu-Ray is great I'm sure... but I don't know too many people rushing out to buy one and all their movies all over again. Watching movies on demand in HD is another story though. These guys can say what they want. I gaurantee you won't see those kind of numbers out of the current next gen systems!!

Shaun @ Jun 20th 2008 3:41PM

Consumers are flocking to Blu-ray from DVD faster than they did VHS to DVD. I don't know if PS3 will outsell PS2, but I do believe that it will outsell Wii and XBox360 by far.

brandon @ Jun 20th 2008 6:54PM

Tell me something, why the hell would somebody buy their movie collection over again? The goddamn ps3 upscales you HD-tard

benny boy @ Jun 21st 2008 6:55AM

FFS. People don't NEED to buy their DVD collections again!

People generally just buy the new releases you "HD-tard".

Wise Guy @ Jun 21st 2008 11:27AM

People don't generally BUY movies anymore anyway you morons! They RENT. And yes... there are people that will sell a copy of something they bought to get a special edition. These people are ones that collect movies. In any case, my POINT being that no console will sell those numbers. I especially like how UNORIGINAL Benny Boy chimes in and says exactly the same thing! PS3 FANBOYS and their hostility are in full swing again!

ScroogeMcDuck @ Jun 20th 2008 3:13PM

it could happen, but sony is going to step up thier game big time.

massive_98 @ Jun 20th 2008 3:21PM

I think Sony needs to stop assuming people who bought a PS2 will buy a PS3. Heck, I had an Xbox but didn't get a 360.

But hey, his job is to assure current and future investors that Sony is going do well.

ScroogeMcDuck @ Jun 20th 2008 5:22PM

why didn't you get a 360?(not that you have to, but why didn't you) its not like it doesn't have any big names.

Sean @ Jun 20th 2008 3:33PM

I just don't see the PS3 lasting as long in this generation. The Wii and 360 are really good competitors this time around and not that many people are going to get multiple systems.
Also, with the Xbox 720 (w/Blu-ray or whatever new format is out by then) and Nintendo Wii HD probably coming out in 2010, I just don't see 120 million units shipping.

There are just so many options now if you include handhelds and next gen-cell phones that I just don't think 120 million is a realistic number.

Please don't construe my comments as dissing the PS3, it's a great system and I'll pick one up when I have enough cash for an HDTV and a PS3. Assuming, I can't get a drastically cheaper Blu-Ray player by then.

Dwag @ Jun 20th 2008 5:16PM

@Sean
I agree

I only see the DS or Wii beating the PS2 maybe but PS3 thats a long shot I mean the only reason ppl still bought the PS2 was because the PS3 was getting bad reviews at launch and they didn't feel like hoping off the boat yet because Sony still made PS2s and were producing games for it.

PS3 ain't making that 100 mill mark unless there next system does the same thing the Ps3 did to the PS2.

Plus now the PS3 actually has competition that can really fight this time around. I mean come on GC and Xbox were not real competition they were like babies compared to the PS2 I mean seriously Xbox just enter the market and Nintendo seemed to be messing up with the Optical disc platform they chose and the third party titles.

I'm sorry but this I don't see happening at all maybe PS3 can take first place and keep it but pass the PS2 nah thats just unlikely.

brandon @ Jun 20th 2008 6:55PM

Xbox 720? I would think that consumers would get tires of purchasing a new console every five years, ps3 by being supported for at least 10 years is giving you more bang for your buck. I'd like a console better if I didn't have to worry about being left in the dust hardware wise every half decade.

Also, where's this news about WII HD/xbox720? Sources?

Arnon @ Jun 20th 2008 10:03PM

Actually 5 years is a pretty good stopping point for the current console. Technology just advances too fast these days. I honestly don't see the PS3 being something that large, but I do see it being pretty successful later on hopefully.

brandon @ Jun 21st 2008 12:28AM

Arnon, disagreed. Nobody (game developers) this generation has mastered any of the hardware (except for perhaps Wii), so how do you figure the public will be ready for another go round so soon? PS3 even with the developer kit released months ago is still giving programmers a hard time, xbox360 has its hardware issues (even with the updated motherboard that doesn't knock out everybody who's still getting That Issue) and the wii is just a big pit for shovelware.

Dwag @ Jun 20th 2008 5:05PM

My comment wasn't posted?

Oh well anyways what I basically said was PS3 ain't likely to pass PS2.

Digital1 @ Jun 20th 2008 5:24PM

If they can keep the games good and the online experience up it will pick up I think. This year is going to be important with a few releases like Little Big Planet,Home,etc.,etc. If Sony can build great community with great games they can surpass PS2. I think that the Wii has compelling content, but in terms of longevity, no offense to Wii fans, I think is limited. That's not to say that the PS3 many games that are super deep either(Not to say that there are none of course because there are). I think another thing that Sony has to do is get their exclusives up. Microsoft is killing Sony with the amount of exclusives or timed exclusives(Star Ocean 4 for example)