PlayStation®2 Worldwide Shipments Reach 10 Million Units in First Year Of Release

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. announced today that it had achieved cumulative worldwide shipments of 10 million units to support its groundbreaking PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system in its first year on the market. In comparison, the PlayStation® game console achieved the 10 million-unit shipment milestone over a three-year period. Given that PlayStation 2 production is currently tracking twice the pace of PlayStation, the company is looking to nearly double PlayStation 2 shipments during fiscal year 2002, beginning April 1, 2001, with a projected worldwide target of 20 million units.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000510/SFW104-a )

The shipment figures and the launch date for each territory are as follows:

  PlayStation 2 Worldwide Shipments (as of March 23, 2001)
  -- Japan (Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.) 4.65 million units
     March 4, 2000 launch
  -- North America (Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.)
     2.76 million units October 26, 2000 launch
  -- Europe/PAL (Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Limited)
     2.63 million units November 24, 2000 launch

"We are pleased to announce that five months after the introduction of PlayStation 2 in North America the company is on target to meet the three million unit shipment projection for this market by March 31, the end of our fiscal year," said Kazuo Hirai, president and chief operating officer, Sony Computer Entertainment America, Inc. "Vigorous sales of PlayStation 2 hardware and software further demonstrate the mass market appeal of the PlayStation brand and illustrates the company's ongoing dominance in this highly competitive category."

As demand for PlayStation 2 continues to soar, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is taking the necessary steps to ensure that it will continue to satisfy consumer demand for the product in all markets worldwide. Aimed at achieving the shipment forecast for FY '02 of 20 million units, the company expects to increase PlayStation 2 monthly production capacity from 1.5 million units in the spring to 2 million units this fall.

With unsurpassed support from the world's premier software developers and publishers, PlayStation 2 is the most widely supported platform in history. In addition to the more than 73 PlayStation 2 titles available for the system today, the product offers the broadest software catalog ever created, including the capability of playing more than 1,000 titles available for the PlayStation and PS one™ consoles in North America.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one™ game console and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PS one game console and PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

NOTE: PlayStation and the PlayStation logo, PS one and PS2 are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

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SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Contact: Molly Smith, 650-655-6044, or molly_smith@playstation.sony.com,
or Stephanie Iwamasa, 650-655-6083, or stephanie_iwamasa@playstation.sony.com,
both of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Website: http://www.playstation.com/