Merrill Lynch PlayStation2 Forecast

Investment firm Merrill Lynch has issued a new report regarding Sony's upcoming PlayStation2 console. Within the report are some very interesting claims about the future of Sony's new game hardware - including a prediction of 100 million units sold by 2004. You heard correct, 100 million. Here's how Merrill Lynch predicts the console will sell over the coming years:

From March 2000 to March 20041.2 million around the Japanese March 4 launch date14.8 million units sold from March 2000-200124 million units sold from March 2001-200230 million units sold from March 2002-200330 million units sold from March 2003-2004

Sony's current PlayStation console has sold roughly 65 million units worldwide.

Merrill Lynch also predicts that within the period from 2000 to 2004, 960 million PlayStation2 software units will be sold. Additionally, the investment firm estimates that the PlayStation2's price will drop to 32,500 yen (US$310) by 2001 and 21,500 yen ($205) by 2002.

Also mentioned in Merrill Lynch's report is a new PocketStation device, called the PocketStation2, to be released for the PlayStation2 console. Sony had previously hinted that there would not be a second version of the PocketStation for the PS2.