In its infancy, PlayStation Network began as a free service to gamers offering an online commerce option for games and game content. Today, it offers an unrivaled social networking experience in PlayStation Home, a robust video delivery service for purchasing and renting SD and HD content from every major studio, social networking applications like Facebook, instant streaming content from Netflix, and a rich selection of more than 450 games for PS3 and PSP…oh, and yes, it’s still free.

Momentum is going strong and signs are only pointing up for us. In October, we saw a 70 percent increase in PS3 sales over last October. This was fueled by a marketing campaign that many of you have commented on, but also by a new slimmer and lighter form factor with a larger hard-drive for $100 less. We’re seeing hundreds of thousands of you joining the PlayStation family every day, and we welcome you to check out all of the amazing things that PlayStation has to offer.

We are really hitting our stride here and with how far you’ve seen us come in three short years, imagine how far we’ll go with the next three. It all starts with this holiday and blockbusters like UNCHARTED 2 and Ratchet & Clank, and only gets better in Q1 with MAG, Heavy Rain and God of War III.

Really, what I’m here to say is, thanks for all of your support. Without your enthusiasm and feedback, PS3 wouldn’t be what it is today.

Why is this so significant? Well most importantly, this new price means that more people than ever will be able to join in on the fun that so many of you PlayStation 2 owners have been enjoying for years, which means new families will become part of the platform’s record-breaking install base. With this new price, we intend to introduce a new generation of consumers – some of whom weren’t even alive when the system was first introduced in 2000 – to the immense entertainment value offered by PlayStation 2.

In the gaming industry, the typical lifecycle for a console is around five years, but because we build each of our platforms for a large and diverse consumer base, we design our platforms differently. With the original PlayStation and now PlayStation 2, we’ve proven that consumers can rely on our platforms for their gaming and entertainment needs for at least a decade. This speaks to the technology and features that were packed into PlayStation 2 from the beginning, as well as to the ongoing support the platform enjoys from the publishing and retail communities and, well, all of you fans.

PlayStation 2’s unmatched gaming library will grow to nearly 1,900 titles from both our first-party studios and publishing partners this year, with a particular focus on the social and sports genres that are so popular with the emerging family demographic. This will include games such as MLB ’09, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Guitar Hero Metallica and MotorStorm: Arctic Edge…not to mention the 250 titles that have achieved “Greatest Hits” status. With all of that content, PlayStation 2 is a great option for families looking for ways to share their entertainment experiences together; they can rock out to Rock Band, test their trivia knowledge with Buzz!, or simply use the PlayStation 2 as their DVD or CD player.

So to everyone who’s enjoyed PlayStation 2 over the years, thanks for your continued support. And to those who will now be joining the PlayStation family, welcome!

It’s great to kick start the year with some exciting news. I’m thrilled to share that we’ve hit a remarkable milestone on the PlayStation 2. In December, PS2 officially broke the record as the first video game console in history to sell over 50 million units in North America. This is a tremendous achievement and truly reinforces PS2 as the best-selling gaming platform and one of the most successful technology products ever released. On behalf of everyone at SCEA, I want to thank all of you, our loyal fans, for supporting the PlayStation 2 platform since its launch.

We know that PS2 owners have a deep love for their system, primarily due to the engaging and diverse gaming lineup. To date, PS2 owners bought more than 500 million software units and it remains the most-played console on the market. We’re very proud of the success the PS2 has accomplished, and it’s a testament to the content and value that the platform offers. The fact that the PS2 is in its ninth year and continues to engage consumers further validates our mission of delivering ten years of entertainment value with all of our platforms.

Introduced on October 26, 2000, the PS2 rocked the gaming world with the then-fledgling DVD format and software titles that went on to become some of the biggest franchises in gaming history. Titles such as Grand Theft Auto, Madden NFL, Gran Turismo and Jak & Daxter defined what entertainment meant for the PS2’s generation of gaming and beyond, marking the platform as one of the most successful for game developers. Used as the de-facto DVD video player in tens of thousands of living rooms across North America, the PS2 also helped establish the DVD format in the market. The combination of killer titles, advanced technology, and innovative applications is what set the PS2 apart as the dominant gaming system and helped pave the landscape for SCEA today.

This milestone showcases the significant impact that PlayStation has made on the gaming industry and reinforces what is to come on PlayStation 3. No other video game console has come close to what’s been achieved with the PS2 and we’re on track to do this again on the PS3.

PS2 owners still have much to look forward to in the coming year. We’re thankful for your loyalty and look forward to providing the same engaging PlayStation experience as you gravitate to PS3. Given there are 50 million PS2 units out there, we know that you have a lot of fun PS2 moments to share – we look forward to hearing about them on the blog. Thank you all again for your support!

- John