Image via PlayStation

Sony made a staggering 160,636,885 PlayStation 2s in the console’s lifetime

That's a lot of PS2s!

Sony recently revealed that the PlayStation 2 has sold more than 160 million units worldwide, further cementing it as the best-selling video game console of all time. However, some fans were left with one burning question: How many PS2 units did Sony make in total?

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As a result of this mystery, a fascinating photo has been making the rounds all over social media, which shows a PlayStation 2 memorial from the Sony Interactive Entertainment headquarters that states the company had produced 160,636,885 units within the console’s lifetime, from January 2000 to March 2013. This seemed like some solid evidence, but we still needed further confirmation that this was an accurate number since many users were questioning the legitimacy of this picture.

Fortunately, Shawn Layden, the famous former president of Sony Interactive Entertainment America, stepped in to confirm this information. Via his personal Twitter/X, he popped on the thread and said that the production number is legitimate. This means that, from 2000 to 2013, Sony had to manufacture exactly 160,636,885 PS2s in order to meet the growing demand for its successful entry into the sixth generation of home consoles.

What makes this number even more mind-blowing is the fact that the PlayStation 3 came out in November 2006 and yet Sony still had to build and sell multiple PlayStation 2s, even many years into its successor’s lifetime. This is undeniable proof of what an amazing video game console it was and how much of an impact it made on the entire industry.

Celebrating the PS2 during the PlayStation brand’s 30th Anniversary

Screenshot of Sly Cooper from the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Video.
Screenshot via PlayStation/YouTube

The timing of this revelation couldn’t be more perfect because December 3, 2024, marks the 30th Anniversary of the entire PlayStation brand, and Sony has been celebrating this special occasion all over social media. While every single system in this family has been both successful and influential, nobody can deny that the PlayStation 2 was on a whole different level.

After all, the PlayStation 2 had one of the most diverse catalog of exclusive video games, with multiple incredible titles that changed the industry forever, making their debut on Sony’s sixth generation console: Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper, Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3, Silent Hill 2, Devil May Cry, Final Fantasy X, Kingdom Hearts, Shadow of the Colossus and so much more. On top of that, the PS2 was so popular that many developers kept releasing new games for it even when the PS3 was already out, and one of them was Electronic Arts, which released multiple yearly entries of its FIFA series until late 2013.

Yesterday, Sony rolled out a new PlayStation 5 update that lets users change the console’s theme, sound effects, and menus into nostalgic ones that are based on the PS1, PS2, PS3, and PS4. So, if this staggering production number has given you fond memories of your PlayStation 2, now is the perfect time to update your PS5 and make it look and sound like Sony’s most profitable console.


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Image of Julián F.L.
Julián F.L.
Freelance Contributor: Julián has been a passionate fan of video games, anime & manga for as long as he can remember. He has over 10 years of experience writing about these topics on the internet, and has collaborated with many outlets, and now he's ecstatic to join Destructoid. He greatly enjoys Hack & Slash games, 2D & 3D platformers, action Shōnen manga and kaiju films.