PlayStation®2 Achieves Cumulative Worldwide Shipment of 50 Million Units

Tokyo, January 16, 2003 – Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) announced today that cumulative worldwide shipment of its PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system reached 50 million units on January 15, 2003. Since its launch in Japan on March 4, 2000, sales of PlayStation 2 has grown rapidly all over the world and this remarkable achievement of 50 million units comes in less than 4 months after the 40 millionth mark reached on September 17, 2002. As PlayStation 2 continues to gain worldwide popularity, it has reaffirmed its position as the standard entertainment platform in homes around the world.

Shipment of 50 million units within 2 years and 10 months since launch in Japan in March 2000 is 2.1 times more in volume compared to the same period after launch of the original PlayStation®, and 14 months faster in penetration speed.

Currently, over 1,500 game titles are available for PlayStation 2 worldwide, with cumulative shipments marking more than 300 million units. As of December 2002, which is 2 years and 10 months since launch, shipment of Software Development Kit (SDK) for PlayStation 2 provided to third party software developers and publishers reached 10,500 units. This number already exceeds 10,000 unit shipment of SDK for the original PlayStation made in 8 years. In 2002 alone, over 1400 units of SDK for PlayStation 2 were shipped, promising the continuous flow of exciting and entertaining new titles for PlayStation 2 enthusiasts around the world.

More consumers are going online with PlayStation 2 in both Japan and North America, with over 400,000 units of Network Adaptor (Ethernet/Modem) (for PlayStation 2) being sold by the end of December 2002 in North America and 190,000 ^(*1) units of PlayStation BB Unit having been shipped in Japan. Network services are planned to commence in Europe and South Korea starting this spring. With PlayStation and PlayStation 2, Sony Computer Entertainment will create and develop a new world of computer entertainment for the broadband era through the fusion of game, music, movies, and broadcasting.

PlayStation 2 Cumulative Shipments by Territory (as of January 15, 2003)

• Japan (including Asia ^(*2))
  • 12.53 million units (launch date: March 4, 2000)
• North America
  • 21.48 million units (launch date: October 26, 2000)
• Europe/PAL
  • 16.02 million units (launch date: November 24, 2000)

Worldwide Shipment: 50.03 million units

(*1) Includes shipments of Hard Disk Drive Unit for PlayStation 2 launched in 2001.

(*2) Includes shipments to Asian countries and regions including South Korea.

About Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Recognized as the global leader and company responsible for the progression of consumer-based computer entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) manufacturers, distributes and markets the PlayStation® game console and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. PlayStation has revolutionized home entertainment by introducing advanced 3D graphic processing, and PlayStation 2 further enhances the PlayStation legacy as the core of home networked entertainment. SCEI, along with its subsidiary divisions Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd., and Sony Computer Entertainment Korea Inc. develops, publishes, markets and distributes software, and manages the third party licensing programs for these two platforms in the respective markets worldwide. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. is an independent business unit of the Sony Group.

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