I absolutely do think that Sony went into defense mode over the PS2's record when Switch crossed the 150m mark and this latest change to Sony's business data page pretty much confirms that.

The "more than 160.0m" that was listed previously was subject to many of us concluding that it did not sell 100k more, but now it has been changed to eliminate what little accuracy was present for a far more ambiguous "somewhere over 160m".  Why change it at all then unless it was simply to mask that all that is needed to top it is 100k more?  Or, to instead confirm that it did indeed exceed 160.1m, which Sony did not do.

And I agree that it is suspicious that Sony would not have announced that it crossed the 160m mark over a decade ago, but it still remains possible when we look at the PS3's total produced vs total sold.  But just barely.

The PS3's final manufactured number is:  88,159,116 units...

... and we know that the console actually shipped/sold 87.4m.  That is a difference of around 759k units that did not make retail.

Looking at the PS2's final produced number at 160,636,885 units...

... that would mean that no more than 636,884 units didn't make it to retail in order for it to be "more than 160m", which is possible, I suppose. 

But the idea that it could have reached 100k over 160m for shipped/sold units is just completely unbelievable now.

This is why I do hope that the Switch does beat the record that the PS2 holds currently; not because I'm a Nintendo fan, not just because this is likely the only shot left in my lifetime to see it broken, and it's not as if I dislike the PS2 at all... but because of Sony's complete lack of transparency regarding the console's sales. 

If Sony didn't resort to lumping shipment numbers together to hide lacking sales in the first place then we wouldn't have to rely on its ex-executives to set the record straight.  Seriously, it seems like Shawn Layden has confirmed more playstation numbers in the last few years than Sony itself.  Props to him, I guess.

I absolutely do think that Sony went into defense mode over the PS2's record when Switch crossed the 150m mark and this latest change to Sony's business data page pretty much confirms that.

The "more than 160.0m" that was listed previously was subject to many of us concluding that it did not sell 100k more, but now it has been changed to eliminate what little accuracy was present for a far more ambiguous "somewhere over 160m".  Why change it at all then unless it was simply to mask that all that is needed to top it is 100k more?  Or, to instead confirm that it did indeed exceed 160.1m, which Sony did not do.

And I agree that it is suspicious that Sony would not have announced that it crossed the 160m mark over a decade ago, but it still remains possible when we look at the PS3's total produced vs total sold.  But just barely.

The PS3's final manufactured number is:  88,159,116 units...

... and we know that the console actually shipped/sold 87.4m.  That is a difference of around 759k units that did not make retail.

Looking at the PS2's final produced number at 160,636,885 units...

... that would mean that no more than 636,884 units didn't make it to retail in order for it to be "more than 160m", which is possible, I suppose. 

But the idea that it could have reached 100k over 160m for shipped/sold units is just completely unbelievable now.

This is why I do hope that the Switch does beat the record that the PS2 holds currently; not because I'm a Nintendo fan, not just because this is likely the only shot left in my lifetime to see it broken, and it's not as if I dislike the PS2 at all... but because of Sony's complete lack of transparency regarding the console's sales. 

If Sony didn't resort to lumping shipment numbers together to hide lacking sales in the first place then we wouldn't have to rely on its ex-executives to set the record straight.  Seriously, it seems like Shawn Layden has confirmed more playstation numbers in the last few years than Sony itself.  Props to him, I guess.

honest question is it even allowed for a company to bring out "fake" sales like many suggest here?

It's not allowed to provide misleading data during their shareholders meetings that they have every quarter. That's why the PS2 figure of 155m is the last independently verified figure that the public have for how the PS2 sold. After Sony provided the 155m figure they stopped reporting PS2 sales figures in their quarterly reports. 

Okej,but its totally allowed to say its 160mill now..for a example...since thats what sony is saying on their site, their now allowed to lie about it?

The 160m figure could be completely accurate. But the way Sony announced this figure it might not be, as their not legally bound for accuracy like they would when they present their figures to the market.

In an ideal world one of their investors would request a final figure to be published during one of their quarterly shareholders meeting and Sony would then be legally bound to provide an accurate figure. 

Okej, so the only thing we know is sony said on their site its above 160mill, and since nobody has any real proof its not true then 160mill it is.

Switch needs to sell 1 console more and it" won" or whatever that means.