Did the PS2 start off as slowly as the PS3 has

[darkchrono]

It seems the PS3 has started off pretty slowly thus far. Was the PS2 as slow to start off as the PS3 has been or was it a pretty big seller from the get go.

[Ramza Beoulve]

Not really, it got itself a great reputation from the start IMO

[Shoeberto]

To be fair, though, it also had a full year headstart on the Gamecube and Xbox. While a head start contributed to the demise of the Dreamcast, the timing of the PS2 was just right to give it the strong boost into the lead that it took.

[Wolf Kanno]

Lord yes it started off slow...

It's only decent launch title was Armored Core 2 (No, Tekken Tag doesn't count cause it's a known fact that Tekken sucks )

The first game that was released for it that anyone I can remember giving a damn about was Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, followed a few months later by FFX. It was almost 2 years into it's life before it started releasing anything good consistently. But this is pretty normal for any system. The DS and and 360 both only started to get good titles after a year had passed. The Cube and original X-Box had similar problems as well.:rolleyes2

[XxSephirothxX]

I didn't get a PS2 until it'd been out for about three years, but if I recall correctly, the consoles were really hard to find at first, sort of like the Wii, though maybe not that bad. I don't know how long that lasted, and maybe their supply was just pitiful, but that could imply that it did better than the PS3 is doing. I also thought it did really, really well in Japan right off, because it was the cheapest available DVD player at the time, and most of Japan ignored the Dreamcast thanks to Sony's "Wait for the PS2" ad campaign.

[Slothy]

Lord yes it started off slow...

It's only decent launch title was Armored Core 2 (No, Tekken Tag doesn't count cause it's a known fact that Tekken sucks )

The first game that was released for it that anyone I can remember giving a damn about was Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, followed a few months later by FFX. It was almost 2 years into it's life before it started releasing anything good consistently. But this is pretty normal for any system. The DS and and 360 both only started to get good titles after a year had passed. The Cube and original X-Box had similar problems as well.:rolleyes2

You pretty much said it, though in all honesty, the consols sales didn't really take off right away either. Also, Onimusha was the first killer app for the system. It wasn't on the level of something like MGS2, but it was the first greatest hits title on the system and reached the million sales fairly quickly.

There was also a shortage at launch (though they got that sorted about as fast as they got the shortage of PS3's sorted). They weren't in very high demand at first though. Certainly they did well, but nothing like the Wii is now. But once it started taking off there was no stopping it, and it seems there's still no stopping it yet as it's still outselling every other console.

[Hazzard]

In all honesty, I believe that PS3 hasn't really been given as much hype as the other newer consoles, because they contain so many valuable and entertaining features, while people still think that PS3 will be exactly the same as the previous Playstation console, with only enhanced graphics. I'm more interested in the likes of Nintendo Wii, PsP, DS. PS2 certainly gained more attention than the new installment. That's what I think anyway.

[Jessweeee♪]

Tekken has enough fans n.n

Myself included, though the only Tekken game I own is Tekken 5 :P

The PS3 would have gone WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSSSSHHHH if it hadn't been for that huge price tag on it.

[Yamaneko]

The PS2 didn't cost $500-$600 at launch. End of story.

[Dragonsoul]

PS 2 had no top rpg in Fall 2000 when it came out I think. Spring 2001 it had Dark Cloud. Fall 2001 it had Shadow Hearts and FF X. That's as far as rpg's go.

Release Dates

I used that. Is there anything I missed?

PS 3 had no top rpg's in Fall 06 when it came out. Spring 06 it had Oblivion with 1st xpansion but that was already out on XB 360 and PC. Fall 07 it will have 2nd xpansion for Elder Scrolls IV but that's already out for XB 360 and PC. In the first three seasons(f06, S07, f07) it trails PS 2.

Spring 08 PS 3 may get white knight story(or Fall 08). Fall 08 has FF XIII, FF V XIII, and Fallout 3

By comparison PS 2 had nothing good in spring 02 but had Kingdom hearts 1 and suikoden 3 and wild arms 3 in fall 02. I give the edge to ps 2.

Xbox 360's start is better than both probably. Fall 07(compared with Fall 02 for ps 2 and fall 08 for ps 3) has: Bioshock, Blue Dragon, Lost Odyssey, FF XII: W of the G, The Elder Scrolls IV: Gotye, and Eternal Sonata. Mass Effect was also planned for Sep but got delayed until Jan. Xbox 360 beats out both PS 2 and PS 3. XB 360 is the dominant rpg console now. I'll research how ps 1 was in it's start later. use the link i showed.

[Dreddz]

Im pretty sure the PS3 is selling better than the PS2 had in PAL territories. And I dont think its far off in other territories. So the answer to your question is yes. But the PS2 gathered steam a year on in its life.

[Dragonsoul]

I think the PS 1 started off slower than PS 2 in rpg's...

Release Dates

It came out Fall 95

Fall 95, nothing
Spring 96, nothing
Fall 96: Suikoden 1, Persona 1
Spring 97: Wild Arms 1, Ogre Battle(re-release)
Fall 97: Final Fantasy VII, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

We know more about the quality of the systems rpg's two full years after the release. Fall 97 for PS 1, Fall 02 for PS 2, Fall 08 for PS 3.

I should research other systems. The upcoming Fall 07 season is two full years after the release of XB 360 and it's season seems to be stronger than what PS 3 and Wii will put out in Fall 08. I declare XB 360 to be the dominant rpg console of the current generation. I gotta wait until Fall 08 to get more info though.

[Wolf Kanno]

You pretty much said it, though in all honesty, the consols sales didn't really take off right away either. Also, Onimusha was the first killer app for the system. It wasn't on the level of something like MGS2, but it was the first greatest hits title on the system and reached the million sales fairly quickly.

Damn, how could I forget Onimusha? Hell didn't Devil May Cry come out before these games as well. I can't remember.

PS 2 had no top rpg in Fall 2000 when it came out I think. Spring 2001 it had Dark Cloud. Fall 2001 it had Shadow Hearts and FF X. That's as far as rpg's go.

What about Suikoden III? I thought that was released before FFX (like a month difference if I remember though.)

[atlanteay]

i remember not being able to find a ps2 in 2003 because it was sold at everywhere so i ended up buying a gamecube.

Sony's been saying how their consoles always started out slow but give it a few years and it'll be the top console. It sounds pretty arrogant...but it might be true.

[Polaris]

I think I was more excited when Ps2 came out! With ps3 I'm more like "meh", I think there isn't a need of a new console! Now I don't know which console I might buy... I guess I'll wait for Ps4!