Newsbrief: Sony is preparing to discontinue its PlayStation 2 aftercare service in Japan, meaning console owners will no longer be able to send the aging machine in for repair should disaster strike. 

As reported by Kotaku (via a translated press release), Sony asked PS2 owners to fill out an online form by the end of August to have their console fixed-up one last time, with all final repairs scheduled to be carried out by September 7.

Given the system has been out of production for six years now, it's a move that's been a long time coming. Still, it's a notable milestone for the console, which launched all the way back in March 2000, and effectively means that anyone hoping to keep their PS2 running (in Japan, at least) will have to fend off the ravages of time on their lonesome.