Sony recently announced that the Playstation 2 would be sold in a new bundle format. This new bundle will be priced at $199 and include a Playstation 2 console, the network adapter, and ATV Offroad Fury 2. For consumers who do not want the bundle, the Playstation 2 will be sold alone will still be available for $179.

Sony plans to back this pricing change by triggering a massive marketing campaign throughout the Fall and Holiday seasons. They also plan to increase and provide new Point-of-Sale materials to retail outlets by the end of the year.

"As we moved past the 20-million-unit sales milestone this summer, it is clear, through our ability to attract a broad audience, that PlayStation 2 has become an even stronger focal point of the living room entertainment experience," said Jack Tretton, executive vice president, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Preparing for the holidays we know that in order to grow this massive base we must continue to engage new users through great gaming content, consumer friendly pricing and new technology. The new PlayStation 2 pricing plan will ensure sustained demand for PlayStation products overall and help drive a strong year for the category, particularly during the key selling season."

This move is part of Sony’s plan to further push its commitment to online gaming (as announced at E3 in May). Since it will be packaging in the network adapter with the console, Sony has found a way to push Internet gaming into the mainstream market. Since it eliminates the need to buy an outside peripheral, one would assume that this move would lead to more people playing Online. By the end of 2003, Sony expects at least 50 games to be online enabled. These online titles include EA franchises, which can only be played online through the Playstation 2 console.