Sony is cutting the price of its older generation PlayStation 2 (PS2) videogame consoles to $100 in a move prompted by tough economic times and a desire to lure fans to the platform.<\/p>\n
Sony Computer Entertainment America said the price of a PS2 console will drop $30 beginning April 1 but that it is not trimming the price of its latest-generation PlayStation 3 consoles.<\/p>\n
PS2 consoles have remained strong sellers despite the launch in late 2006 of a more powerful PS3 version with built-in Blu-ray high definition disk player.<\/p>\n
PS3 consoles came with high price tags, a version with an 80-gigabyte hard drive costs $400.<\/p>\n
Sales of PS3 consoles have lagged behind those of market-ruling Nintendo Wii hardware and Microsoft’s Xbox 360, which hit the market in 2005.<\/p>\n
Launch of high-end PS3 consoles revived the popularity of PS2 models that became comparative bargains in the marketplace.<\/p>\n
Sony reports selling more than 136 million PS2 consoles since they were launched in 2000.<\/p>\n
“Demand for PlayStation 2 remains strong throughout the world,” said SCEA president Jack Tretton.<\/p>\n
“The new $99 price point will bring in new consumers who will discover how PlayStation platforms are an outstanding choice for their gaming and home entertainment needs.”<\/p>\n
Sony hopes that beefing up the ranks of PS2 users will eventually translate into loyal fans that upgrade to PS3 models.<\/p>\n
Analysts have gone on record saying they believe it will take a PS3 price cut to breathe new life into sales of the consoles.<\/p>\n
Microsoft saw Xbox 360 console sales rise last year after the US technology giant trimmed about $50 from price tags.<\/p>\n
Wii consoles are priced at $250 each and have dominated the market since their launch in late 2006.<\/p>\n