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Research Group: PS2 is the Most-Played Console
Though its tech is distinctly last-gen, and its software releases are drying up, the PS2’s colossal 140 million-plus userbase makes it one of the most-played consoles of last year.
A study undertaken by market research group Nielsen measures the amount of ‘game-minutes’ used on each console. Its results show that in October the PS2 was responsible for over 30 percent of all console gameplay, with the Xbox 360 trailing in second with an 18.3 percent share.
Nielsen’s research is based on the same methodology as its TV ratings. In many homes across America Nielsen has installed "people meters" on the home entertainment areas, whereby information is collected through usage of a host of entertainment devices, from TVs to Blu-Ray players and game consoles. As such, the group cannot measure handheld usage in this way.
Nielsen explains to Edge that the data shown is an average of the usage over the course of the 10 months from January-October. "The PS2 usage percentage has steadily declined over the course of 2008 but has leveled off the past quarter or so to around 30%" a spokesperson said.
The full list also claims that the original Xbox had amassed more usage than Sony’s PS3. The full list can be found below:
PlayStation 2 (30.2% of “all measured console minutes”)
Xbox 360 (18.3%)
Wii (13.5%)
Xbox (9.1%)
PlayStation 3 (7.7%)
GameCube (4.4%)
Other (16.9%)
Update: Edited for Clarification.
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Lol, Out of everyone you know, someone was bound to have a PS2, probably more than 5 people you know, so yeah, bang on
Well duh, the PS2 penetration is probably about 10 times that of the Wii and the 360 and PS3 will only be lower.
PS2 has always been sony's claim to fame these past few years. They should've been trumpeting this fact instead of the lagging PS3. PS2 even had a legitimate year in terms of new software. I guess a last-gen system isn't given the same publicizing as current-gen, despite PS2's always stellar sales.
I'm sure Sony is banking on this install base to eventually turn into PS3 customers...in which case, their 'long term outlook' is very long indeed. I wonder if hype for the better selling systems wont overwhelm that prospect, though, and replace any brand dominance.
What I'm wondering, however, is what the hell is the original Xbox still doing on this list? That console was dropped the moment the 360 came out, and dropped hard.
> What the hell is the original Xbox still doing on this list?
Halo. There are many other decent games on the original Xbox, but Halo is the one with multiplayer staying power.
Not an actual suprise that PS2 won. Almost every household that owns a console atleast has or has had a PS2. Not to mention highly competitive games like tekken and MK. And its also the cheapest way to get some of the most popular games such as Guitar Hero. I myself having a Wii, xbox 360 and PS2 in the house play the PS2 only and may even rival my PC Gaming usage which is significant since I am mainly a PC Gamer.
It may have been interesting to see PC usage the results will be very diluted since almost anyone can say they use a PC. They would have to specifically state how much time they use it for gaming only. Even then people can still say they "game" on PC's by only playing free browser based games on the internet.
You know, Sony, those PS2 minutes could be spent on the PS3 if you hadn't REMOVED the back compat. It wouldn't surprise me if quite a few of those XBox 360 minutes were Halo 1 in addition to Halo 3.
I'm currently playing the fantastic Persona 4 on PS2 while my PS3 sits unused again because I'm tired of Little Big Planet. On the other hand, at least you make a profit when someone buys a PS2, so maybe this helps your present bottom line at the expense of long term adoption?
I totally agree, Sony shouldn't have dropped backwards compatibility. Many people have dozens of PS2 games which are still very good, games that don't at all feel old or last gen, and still have a lot of life left in them. Many PS2 owners games collection probably remain largely unplayed. Heck there's even some PS1 games that are classics and still very enjoyable.
It would have been good to play PS2 games while collecting the occasional decent PS3 game, and while waiting around for the PS3 game choice to grow.
SONY the ball is in your court. You have setup the PS3 is a great position with great games and multimedia options.
All you have to do now is get the PS3 to $299 price point and you set for life.
If Sony can convert those people to the PS3 then they'll be laughing. A price drop is really needed now. PS3 has the potential to be far superior to the PS2 in terms of market share. It just needs to be at a mass Market price. 2009 is the year
Is this worldwide or US data?
It depends on whom and where they asked.
It's tricky, e.g. most Xbox users I know use the device for emulation, they don't play the system's games.
And where's the PC? (I know it's a console list, before anyone points out.)
@Gyak
You mean PC usage period or PC gaming usage? Maybe it’s too hard to know weather or not it’s being used for gaming or something else. Also I think the PC would dominate the list since it’s used for a million different things and is typically on even when not in use.
You say Xbox users use the 360 for emulation? You mean people who mod their Xbox? I only have two people on my friend's list that mod and they do it to play 360 games ripped to DVDs.
Also the list didn't specify what the devices were being used for, just that they were being used. Since all three consoles have some type of multimedia functions its fair to say the consoles weren't always being used for games anyway (possibly lending to the idea to allow PC use to be ranked as well). Which assuming this list is accurate, goes a long ways to showing the gaming power of the PS2 since it had very limited multimedia functions and really is purely a game machine (other than when it used to be popularly used as a cheap DVD player in its early years).
What I find more interesting is that according to the list the Xbox 1 is still played more than the PS3. Even considering the xbox 1's installed base of 24-25 million, you'd think the 25+ million 360 owners were all previous xbox 1 users. If that's not the case, I think there are a lot of xbox 1 owners still waiting for the 360 to drop in price even further. Someone else in this thread said a similar thing about the PS2 having all those users waiting for the PS3 to drop in price, it seems there are quite a few xbox 1 owners waiting to do the same thing with the 360.
Gotta take my hat off to the PS2 though, what a beast.
Nick,
I did mean PC gaming usage, but you're right, how on Earth could they meaure that?
For the other question, I mean people who modded their Xboxes (the original ones, aka Xbox 1). It plays well everything console up to the PS1, so I think it's no biggie that they use the damned thing.
In general this public opinion poll looks a bit fishy to me.
And it's not for the PS3's relatively low score, if you ask. ^^
Gyak,
Got it. That makes sense about the xbox 1. Out of all my xbox 1 friend's from my friends list (quite a few) none of them play their xbox 1 any more. It took a while for some of the people to upgrade cause they were all still playing Halo 2 on their xbox 1, but once Halo 3 came out none of them were on their xbox 1 anymore.
Haha, gotcha. (about the poll being fishy).
Are you seriously suggesting that 2.5 million people are using modded XBOX's? I think it more likely that this is an indication that there are millions of people sitting on the fence and that this industry is growing and has room for three formats. It's a healthy sign and its good news for all concerned. Hopefully the spectre of fanboyism can start to be put to rest.
I'm suggestint that all the TEN people I know who have an old Xbox use it for emulation. No more, no less. Industry health is great, but the survey still stinks.