European PlayStation 2 User Base To Exceed U.S.

[Domination]

According to British trade paper MCV, latest calculations by Sony suggest that the European user base for the PlayStation 2 could overtake that of the U.S. later this year.

The U.S. installed user base for the PlayStation was 30.5 million units at the end of January, while total PAL sales (presumably including non-European PAL territories such as Australasia) were 28.8 million at the same time. Sony’s own calculations suggest that PAL sales could overtake the U.S. before Christmas this year.

Total global sales for the PlayStation 2 are now put at 85 million (compared to around 20 million for the Xbox and approximately 18 million for the GameCube). Global sales for the original PlayStation are put at around 100 million, suggesting that the PlayStation 2 will easily eclipse it before the end of its lifetime.

Although the overall European video games market has long been at parity with the U.S., the complications resulting from language and cultural differences in each of the many different countries has meant that companies have always found it less profitable than either North America or Japan.

Both publishers and console manufacturers have steadily been increasing their efforts over the last few years though, with Microsoft rumored to be planning a simultaneous U.S. and European launch for the next generation Xbox console, and Japanese publishers in particular specifically courting European customers with localized content.

[imported_The_One]

Holy smokes! No wonder Microsoft is releasing Xenon for both NA and Europe at the same time! They obviously see the gaming market in Europe! I hope Sony catches on quick, they better ease the pain of having to wait for the fans in Europe (a.k.a. Release either right after NA, or together with NA)!

[night rider]

i think they should expand btw i am on my psp
ok now I'm on my pc, it is a LOT easier to type. they should definitly expand. btw it is hard to type when you're on a psp, the stupid cell phone thing is retarded

[Kiwi]

Holy smokes! No wonder Microsoft is releasing Xenon for both NA and Europe at the same time! They obviously see the gaming market in Europe! I hope Sony catches on quick, they better ease the pain of having to wait for the fans in Europe (a.k.a. Release either right after NA, or together with NA)!

Agreed, the gaps between console releases have been a bit much sometimes. I can't remember how long we had to wait for the PS2, but I'm sure it was long enough to become a bit aggrevating.

Anyway, good on Microsoft for that move.....

[Powercell]

Didn't the Playstation 1 sell the most units in Europe? I'm pretty sure it did, so this is no surprise that they expect the PS2 to do the same.

[Viper]

I have to say I'm a bit surprised at how close they just because of the localization issue with all the Euro countries.

Since the US still has more, are they confirming that more PS2's sell each week in Europe?

[Kiwi]

It doesn't state that exactly in the article, but I would assume that as European sales are slowly catching up, that the European weekly sales are greater than in the US.

[CloudANDTidus]

Holy smokes! No wonder Microsoft is releasing Xenon for both NA and Europe at the same time! They obviously see the gaming market in Europe! I hope Sony catches on quick, they better ease the pain of having to wait for the fans in Europe (a.k.a. Release either right after NA, or together with NA)!

Agreed, the gaps between console releases have been a bit much sometimes. I can't remember how long we had to wait for the PS2, but I'm sure it was long enough to become a bit aggrevating.

Anyway, good on Microsoft for that move.....

Its was nearly a year if I remember correctly.

What anoys me is that they have all this evidence and yet they takes so damn long to get the games here. Stupid pal...

[diOndOrAntt]

Hehe, when i was buying my ps2 1.5 months ago there werent even ps2 in stock :shock:

They stil sell like a train here in Holland

[eggyoke]

Blagh. Too late for me... the damage is done *cry* :wink:

But seriously, 85% of my PS1/PS2 games are US versions bought on Ebay. I'm a huge RPG fan and these games take 5+ months to arrive in the UK. And some (my favorites)... dont even make it!

Its just stupid. I understand it takes time to translate the many languages of the EU, but the UK should be included in with the US/Canada/Australia markets.

And they complain about console modding. I'll be ordering my PS3 from the US. Why not? It'll be availible sooner, the games arrive their sooner and some games are only made for the US/Japan.

[Ibanez32]

Not to mention when it does actually make here from america the prices aren't converted they just change the dollar sign for a pound sign.
e.g. $300 will be £300 CRAZY!!!

[rev>thanu]

the only reason that the US is loosing market share and europe is gaining in terms of ps2 sales it's because microsoft has been brainwashing the us market. sony may have better marketing but microsoft has way better and more advertising than ps2. also remember PSP came out here and people have stopped and actually bought psps instead of ps2s. also since psp has not released on europe then people are more focused on ps2 only. so it's bound to gain marketshare and here to loose. i think sony has already a super strong hold of the japanese market share i think they should put a bit more attention the US and bring out more FPS to the console. since those are the types of games that appeal more to the american market share. once sony has that the us market share will rise significantly.

[Z]

Hopefully Europe will be shown as a more important market than it is right now thus getting more and faster game releases.
It is just not reasonable to have a game released nearly a year after the original Japanese launch.

[diOndOrAntt]

Really guys,

In holland almost every 16 year old has either a PS or a Xbox. Not surprised about Europe exceeding US like i told earlyer. However Xbox is way more populair here, kinda shitty. Only because it has better graphics :S Sony should had putted more ram in the PlayStation 2 damnit.

[m!dn!ghtblu3]

Blagh. Too late for me... the damage is done *cry* :wink:

But seriously, 85% of my PS1/PS2 games are US versions bought on Ebay. I'm a huge RPG fan and these games take 5+ months to arrive in the UK. And some (my favorites)... dont even make it!

Its just stupid. I understand it takes time to translate the many languages of the EU, but the UK should be included in with the US/Canada/Australia markets.

And they complain about console modding. I'll be ordering my PS3 from the US. Why not? It'll be availible sooner, the games arrive their sooner and some games are only made for the US/Japan.

Actually, Australia (and New Zealand) are part of European (PAL) territory so we have to wait just as long as people in the UK or any other part of Europe. I'm hoping that next generation, all the territories are treated fairly equally and all of us in PAL land aren't left waiting a year for the PS3 and it's games.

[the legendary ice man]

Not sure, but most EU countries teach English in schools - so why certain games can be left languagified is unknown - driving games for example.