PStwo Official: First Details and Images!

SCE this morning coordinated a global announcement for its new-look PlayStation 2. First details and images.

In console years, PS2 is now officially entering a long, cosy retirement - but it's certainly not losing its marbles, or its endless charms.

Take a look at the all-new PStwo.
Was it what you expected?

Sony Computer Entertainment this morning made a global announcement of the long-anticipated PStwo, a restyled version of the instantly recognisable Sony console, set to extend the machine's lifecycle well into the next generation of gaming hardware.

Rumours about the emergence of PStwo stem back practically to the launch of PSone, but the gossip was heavily fuelled in April this year when SCEE President David Reeves openly discussed the new model in an extensive interview.

The new unit is 2.8 cm thick, compared to PS2's 7.8 cm.

Ken Kutaragi's flagship Tokyo unveiling unfolded in synchrony with Reeves' European address this morning. Both events were pretty low-key, and targeted primarily at retail and analysts.

--> The SCPH-70000 series will hit Japanese stores on November 3 in Japan, with North American and European launches scheduled a couple of days beforehand on November 1.

The appearance and style is essentially very similar to the current PlayStation 2, but the innards have been extensively reworked in order to make for a much lighter, thinner, sleeker unit, resembling several trendy "slimline" DVD players.

Wow, it really is small. But then, she probably is too.

In fact, the internal volume is a quarter of a regular PS2, with the new console weighing just half of the current model - and it's just 2.8 cm thick, compared to today's 7.8 cm. Media is now top-loaded, naturally.

SCEA's Jack Tretton offered, "The introduction of the new PlayStation 2 is part of our long-term vision for the platform. We are pleased to bring the sleek, redesigned product to market in time for the holiday season, and expect consumer enthusiasm for the new model to translate into robust sales."

On our "things to steal" list for Friday (with PSP).

Although the machine comes with built-in modem support and an Ethernet port, it doesn't support the old Multitap, Vertical Stand, or the Hard Disc Drive.

We'll be bringing you our first-hand impressions of the new console, in the flesh, direct from the Tokyo Game Show later this week. Don't miss it.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com