This article is published in collaboration with Statista
by Felix Richter
Now that Microsoft and Sony have officially confirmed November 2020 launch dates for their next generation video game consoles, this year's holiday season will mark the beginning of the next battle in the decade-spanning console wars. With Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 both priced at $499, the two systems will start on equal footing this time around, after Sony had undercut Microsoft's starting price for the Xbox One by $100 with the PlayStation 4 in 2013.
As the next generation of video game consoles is looming on the horizon, the best-selling console of all time celebrated its 20th birthday this year. On March 4, 2000, Sony released the PlayStation 2 in Japan, before bringing it to eagerly waiting gamers around the world in the fall of the same year. Upon its arrival, the PS2 was an instant hit and it remained popular for a very long time. Even though its successor, surprisingly named PlayStation 3, arrived in 2006, the PlayStation 2 remained in production until 2013 as an affordable entry-level system.
According to official figures from Sony, the company sold more than 155 million PS2 units since its launch, making it the most successful video game console for the living room by a wide margin. As the following chart shows, Sony has been dominating the gaming landscape for the past two and a half decades, claiming four of the top five spots in the gaming hall of fame.
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