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30
Sony Corporation Annual Report 2002
Worldwide Growth of the PlayStation Business Continues
As of May 2002, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) had deployed its PlayStation business in
approximately 120 countries and territories. The PlayStation 2 (PS2) has spread around the world at a
rapid pace since its debut in Japan in March 2000. Since that debut, cumulative production
shipments of PS2 have exceeded 30 million units worldwide as of May 2002. This is around 2.5
times greater than the number of PlayStation (PS) units shipped following its launch, over the
equivalent timeframe. In all, SCE has sold approximately 90 million PS units around the world.
Regarding software, sales in Japan and other countries were strong, as numerous game software
developers and publishers continued to produce a steady stream of captivating PS2 and PS titles. By
the end of March 2002, worldwide cumulative shipments of PS2 and PS software titles had climbed
to over 1 billion units.
As the diffusion rate of hardware expands around the world, developers and publishers from
Manufacture of Cutting-Edge LSIs for PS2
The EmotionEngine CPU and a massively parallel rendering processor called Graphics Synthesizer—
two sophisticated LSIs which lie at the heart of the PS2’s advanced performance—are both produced
in-house at semiconductor facilities owned by SCE. These cutting-edge chips feature performance
levels and circuit densities that eclipse those of typical LSIs found in PCs. To produce these LSIs, SCE
has invested more than 250 billion yen since 1999 to build one of the world’s most advanced
semiconductor fabrication facilities. SCE began full-scale production with unprecedented speed and
achieved outstanding productivity, both of which were instrumental to its ability to ship more than
30 million PS2 consoles worldwide in just 26 months. Furthermore, continuous efforts to increase
productivity have helped decrease PS2 production costs. Through the close cooperation of Sony’s
Semiconductor Network Company and Sony Semiconductor Kyushu Corporation, a variety of
synergistic effects are being felt across the Sony Group such as the sharing of semiconductor
technology and production expertise.
various regions continue to produce attractive software. This is
leading to a growing number of hit titles, and it is this software
lineup that is spurring the further penetration of game consoles
and accelerating the positive cycle.
http://global.scei.co.jp/