The phasing out of PS2, how will they do it?

[binary solo]

Let's face it PS2 really is breathing it's last in the major markets. This weeks EMEAA numbers are dismal for PS2 with all the main Europe countries selling <1000 and all the "minor" Europe count4ries combined eeking out 2000. PS2's only substantial region is Middle East / Africa / Asia. It is substantialy more than 50% down YoY this week, which means it's not just the summer lull. This is surely PS2's last Christmas, at least in a world wide sense. Last week the combined Americas and japan sales were a paltry 10K.

Now that PS3 can stand on it's own 2 feet Sony don't really need the cross subsidy that the profitable PS2 sales have brought them in the past, and there must be some diminishing returns still having factories churning out PS2's that could be re-tooled to produce something else.

But there's no denying that PS2 is selling competitive numbers in ME/A/A. It regularly outsells PS3, often comes close to Wii and normally outsells 360 (even now after 360s launch and clearance sale of old skus). There's certainly a case to be made that in the ME/A/A markets PS2 could easily see out the whole of 2011 and possibly beyond with respectable sales.

I can see PS2 withdrawn from all major markets, Aussie, and NZ Q1 2011, discontinued in the non-major Europe Markets Q2 2011, and ME/A/A Q1 2012. Though if PS3 gets another $100 price cut in late Q3 or Q4 2011 (which is pretty certain if there's no price cut this year) that could coincide with PS2 being discontinued in all remaining markets. If b/c emulation is to ever reappear in PS3 it'll be around then. Hmmm, PSN+ exclusive feature PS2 b/c emulation?