Following on from a earlier function, I made a decision to take a look at how the elevated reputation of online game accumulating is affecting the UK retro online game market. Because the passion and market continues to develop, is it nonetheless price it to gather for the PS2? Let’s discover out!
Historical past & Pricing
It should be acknowledged that the PS2 has a state of affairs in contrast to every other console in any respect. Launching on March 4, 2000, the PS2 bought over 160 million models earlier than it was discontinued on January 4, 2013. It’s the greatest promoting console of all time. With the inflow of individuals into the passion, because of this many individuals are excited about the very best promoting system of all time. Moreover, there are additionally a big proportion of individuals, together with myself, who performed the console rising up. This has created lots of nostalgia for the PS2, which helps drive demand within the retro online game market.
When it comes to demand because of this regardless of issues in regards to the dwindling provide of retro video video games and consoles, the availability is usually very massive for the PS2. To place this in perspective, if we have been to hypothetically think about a state of affairs the place 60 million PS2 techniques not functioned, there would nonetheless be 100 million left. In different phrases, for the system itself, there should be no issues over shortage at current.
Regardless of this, the UK market has usually seen a considerable enhance within the worth of PS2 consoles. In 2012, after I purchased a used PS2 to start accumulating for it, the going charge was £20. Now, it could value someplace round £90. Accounting for inflation, the equal value can be £29.04 in the present day. Which means the worth of the system has tripled. After all, a boxed system prices much more, within the area of £120 – £140.
All of this info paints a complicated image. It appears cheap to ask why the very best promoting console of all time is rising worth on the charge that it’s. Nonetheless, all of it boils all the way down to the commonplace financial principle relating to provide and demand. Because the demand is rising past what the market can provide, the worth will increase are being sustained. Once we take into account the way forward for the market, due to accumulating, extra techniques might be retained and depart circulation. This, alongside techniques that might be misplaced or break, implies that provide will dwindle over time despite what it’s like in the mean time.
What’s On It?
Now that we’ve examined the worth and availability of the PS2 system, it is very important take into account software program. The estimated titles are round 10,987. Of these video games, 3,200 have been launched within the PAL area. Compared, the PS1 had 1,766 titles launched within the PAL area. That’s nearly twice as many. Additionally, the PS2 is estimated to have shipped a complete of 1.54 billion models of software program. In that sense, there’s a state of affairs right here the place provide for each techniques and software program is superior to the PSX.
The following factor to think about is what the highest 5 promoting video games have been. Let’s have a look:
This isn’t solely a powerful exhibiting for gross sales, but in addition vital enchancment from PSX, the place solely one of many prime 5 bought over 10 million. On PS2, all the prime six bought over that quantity.
When in comparison with PS4, nonetheless, the PS2 gross sales are considerably decrease. The highest six on PS4 all have extra gross sales than the top-selling PS2 recreation. What this means is that by comparability, trendy software program is promoting at a lot better charges.
What this reveals is that while PS2 definitely has quantity of software program availability for standard titles, that availability is proscribed in comparison with more moderen generations. Once we take into account the massive volumes of titles, the supply points begin to present. If we take the full software program gross sales (1.54 billion) and divide it by the full variety of titles (3,200) we find yourself with a median of 481,250 gross sales per title. Now, now we have to account for the disparities created by contemplating the upper promoting titles. Many video games would have bought underneath 100,000. We additionally then have to think about that these are worldwide gross sales. So, the PAL area can have solely a share of that whole. In different phrases, availability for software program actually is a combined bag for the PS2, once we take into account statistics.
So, how does this affect the costs for PS2 video games within the UK? Effectively, let’s look at some dearer titles.
Nitty Gritty
Presently, the PS2 has a number of the most costly titles to gather for disc primarily based consoles. Elusive titles akin to Gun Membership have just lately bought for over £700 on eBay. Different titles such a Kuon are additionally identified to promote for over £500. Relating to titles from my very own assortment, Silent Hill 2, 3 and 4 are nice examples of how PS2 video games are seeing fast will increase in worth in the mean time. I purchased them in 2024. Taking a look at Silent Hill 3, I purchased the sport for round £30. It now goes for over £65. Silent Hill 4 additionally reveals an identical story. I purchased the sport for £40, and it now goes for over £70. Accordingly, the PS2 is residence to some costly titles, any there are numerous of them which can be experiencing quick and sustained worth will increase.
Nonetheless, it is very important take into account extra than simply the costly titles. I calculate the going charge of my very own assortment. Contemplating solely video games I’ve bought simply earlier than and together with the present decade, the worth has elevated by 49.45%. That’s an astronomical enhance in such a short while. It’s clear that my aforementioned conclusion about demand outpacing the massive provide is right on the entire.
Once we examine the PS2 to different consoles from the identical technology, such because the Xbox, it turns into fairly attention-grabbing. Regardless of the decrease provide of the Xbox, the PS2 is usually dearer. An instance of that is the sport Challenge Zero. On PS2 it goes for round £60, whereas it goes for round £25 on Xbox. That’s fairly an attention-grabbing state of affairs, which once more appears to be fueled by demand.
Though, regardless of the fast enhance in costs, the common worth of a recreation in my assortment is £9.14. That’s nonetheless very inexpensive contemplating there a number of larger worth video games in that assortment.
In conclusion, regardless of the recognition and availability of the PS2 itself, demand is outpacing the availability and making a state of affairs the place worth is quickly rising. Nonetheless, regardless of the unbelievable costs some video games are commanding as a consequence of their demand and shortage, the common recreation stays fairly inexpensive. Given the massive library of titles, it’s fairly attainable to nonetheless accumulate affordably. There could also be some titles out of attain for the common individual, however the unbelievable library and availability make it nonetheless a staple alternative to gather PS2.
