Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 – A Bittersweet Swan Song for the Best-Selling Console Ever
As a lifelong gamer, I still remember the rush of excitement when I first loaded up my shiny new PlayStation 2. That unforgettable startup sound, the sleek design, the groundbreaking graphics. For any gamer growing up in the 2000s, the PS2 defined gaming.
So it is with bittersweet nostalgia that I look back at the final PS2 game release – Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 on November 8, 2013. Let‘s relive the history and legacy of Sony‘s world-conquering console one last time.
Peak PS2: The Glory Days
The PS2 era was truly gaming‘s golden age. Hot off the revolutionary success of the original PlayStation, Sony took things to the next level in March 2000 with the long-awaited PS2 launch.
We were blown away by the cutting edge graphics, immersive new titles like Grand Theft Auto III, and the PS2‘s secret weapon – the ability to play DVD movies. With analysts predicting "10 year lifecycles" for consoles, it felt like the future had arrived.
PS2 game releases skyrocketed through the early 2000s, fueled by the console‘s runaway mainstream popularity:
| Year | PS2 Game Releases |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 482 |
| 2001 | 563 |
| 2002 | 1194 |
| 2003 | 1532 |
| 2004 | 1842 |
| 2005 | 1388 |
| 2006 | 1110 |
As you can see, new PS2 games peaked in 2004 – four years after launch – with over 1,800 new titles published in that year alone.
Driving this boom were groundbreaking new IP like Ratchet & Clank, scaled-up ports from PS1 franchises like Final Fantasy X, and of course non-stop releases for sports franchises like FIFA, Madden, MLB, and our last man standing – Pro Evolution Soccer.
The Inevitable Decline
However, all empires ultimately fade. As we entered the second half of the 2000s, those first cracks started to show in Sony‘s armor. The company launched the long-awaited PlayStation 3 in 2006, touting cutting edge graphics and modern network capabilities.
In a bid to drive consumers towards the new console, Sony strategically slowed game releases for the aging PS2 throughout 2007-2008. And with PS3‘s stiff initial $500-$600 pricing, Sony wanted to avoid cannibalizing their new flagship‘s sales potential.
Across the industry, publishers eagerly jumped to leverage the PS3 and Xbox 360‘s shinier graphical capabilities for their newest titles. PS2 releases slowed to a trickle, from 1,100+ in 2006 down to just around 200 by 2009.
The PS2‘s 2D sprite-scaling limitations meant that 3D-rendered sports titles could only improve so much graphically. So series like Madden NFL, MLB The Show, Tiger Woods PGA Tour and the perennial FIFA games became the last genre still receiving updated annual PS2 releases.
Which brings us to our swan song….
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 – A Bittersweet Farewell
After 13 legendary years, over 155 million consoles sold, and an unmatched 3,860 total games released, the PS2‘s victory lap arrived on November 8, 2013 with the launch of Pro Evolution Soccer 2014.
Originally created in 2001 as ISS Pro Evolution, the Pro Evo series had blossomed into a worthy rival of EA‘s FIFA juggernaut. By 2013, FIFA‘s licensed teams and enhanced graphics had made it the dominant soccer title.
Yet Konami still saw enough residual potential in PS2‘s 100+ million install base to justify yearly Pro Evo releases. Football is religion for European fans after all!
So the long-toothed PS2 platform that had brought us groundbreaking 3D titles like Final Fantasy X and Grand Theft Auto III now bowed out with a fittingly nostalgic sports sequel.
Our once-unstoppable champion strode onto the pitch one last time as we cheered from the stands. Then the final whistle blew, the stadium lights flicked off, and a gaming era was over.
Why We Still Love the PS2 – By the Numbers
While Xbox and GameCube competed admirably that generation, PS2‘s shocking dominance came down to both shrewd business execution and gamer enthusiasm that bordered on fanaticism.
Beyond groundbreaking 3D graphics, the formula seems simple in hindsight:
- 155 million consoles sold globally
- Attractive $299 launch price
- Built-in DVD playback driving early adoption
- 3860 total games released over 13 years
- All-time classics like Shadow of the Colossus
- Deep love and nostalgia felt to this day
That built-in DVD player was a masterstroke, driving unprecedented global household penetration and making PS2 many families‘ first DVD player.
By subsidizing hardware costs but monetizing exclusive games and accessories, Sony turned the loss-leading hardware model into high profitability.
And the public‘s voracious appetite for ever-more dazzling games resulted in booming game sales and publisher enthusiasm.
Can Lightning Strike Thrice for Sony?
And so we bid farewell – for now at least – to Sony‘s beloved sophomore console. The king is dead, long live the (still hard to find) PS5!
13 magnificent years…can we ever return to such halcyon days? Where were you when GTA 3 first set you loose in Liberty City? When FF X or MGS 2 blew your mind with CGI graphics? When you first settled in for a movie on that slick new DVD player?
As game development costs balloon into the hundreds of millions, is the business model that led to PS2‘s wild success even replicable today? Can the stars ever realign?
For your humble commentator, playing PS2 classics on my modded PSP remains a cherished escape. But as much as I love my PS5, here‘s hoping lightning can strike thrice for Sony.
In the meantime, let‘s pour one out for our dearly departed. One last match on the storied pitches of Pro Evolution Soccer in your honor, old friend! Boots up PS2
