One of the longest-lasting and highest-selling game consoles of all time is finally preparing for retirement. Sony has stopped shipping the PlayStation 2 in Japan, leaving only the current stock on shelves left to sell before the hardware is unavailable at retail.
The console originally launched on March 4, 2000 across the Pacific, giving the PS2 a more-than-12 year life cycle. Over those years, the console has sold approximately 150 million units. With
Famitsu's report on the console's ceased production (via
Ars Technica), it's clear that the days of being able to walk into a store and pick up a brand new PS2 are numbered.
http://www.shacknews.com/article/77205/playstation-2-finally-stops-production