According to a post on Ars Technica, the current generation PlayStation 2 continues to outsell next-generation XBOX 360 in the U.S. The post states:

Since the release of the Xbox 360, Microsoft has averaged 246,000 console sales each month in the US, while the PS2 has seen an average of 473,000 units—a number bolstered by an estimated 1.5 million sales in December alone. Leaving out December, Sony’s average drops to 302,000 per month, still outpacing the Xbox 360 by a healthy margin.

Much of this is due to pricing, as the PS2 continues to be a good bargain for those just getting into gaming.

In short, Sony’s PS2 sales remain remarkably strong, and with recent price cuts trimming the system down to US$129, sales are expected to stay strong throughout the year. Sony has sold more than 100 million PS2s, and this year they can expect to add another three million from the US market alone. The PS2 market isn’t “winding down” in any meaningful sense.

In closing, I should note that we caution against putting too much weight on these sales estimates, especially in a comparative sense. The PS2 and the Xbox 360 are at opposite ends of their “console lifecycles,” and the two are priced quite far apart as well (e.g., $129 vs. $299, PS2, Xbox 360 Core respectively). We are impressed, however, by the PS2’s continually strong sales, even as many gamers turn their eyes towards the next-generation. These sales will help keep Sony strong and stable, even in the face of a disappointing PlayStation 3 launch, should fate take that turn.

We’re not suggesting that it will. To the contrary, Sony’s track record in this area is hard to bet against, even factoring in the questionable decision to push Blu-ray. As long as PS2 sales remain this strong, Sony can weather bumps in the road, should there be any.

At $130.00, the PS2 continues to be a good value. I’ve had one for quite some time, and I’ve enjoyed the huge amount of games available. As a very casual gamer and full-time dad (not much time at all), I enjoy the fact that you can find many of the games for less than $20.00. The pricepoint of the console and a huge library of games makes it ideal for someone who just wants to play a few games every now and then to unwind. If you are just getting into gaming and you’ve just bought a PS2, take a look at Metacritic’s rank of PS2 games as well as a similar list from GameStats. These lists might give you some ideas about the “best” games out there for the PS2.