PlayStation 2
- Manufacturer
- Sony
- Production
- 2000–2013
- Generation
- Gen 6
- Type
- Home
- Launch price
- $299
- Units sold
- 155.0M
About PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on October 26, in Europe on November 24, in Australia on November 30, and other regions thereafter. It is the successor to the original PlayStation as well as the second installment in the PlayStation brand of consoles. As a sixth-generation console, it competed with Nintendo's GameCube, Sega's Dreamcast, and Microsoft's Xbox.
Source: Wikipedia (text under CC BY-SA 4.0).
Lifetime sales
Official manufacturer-reported figures.
155.0Munits
Last official Sony figure; ~160M cited informally by a Sony exec.
Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment, as of March 31, 2012.
Library & collector facts
4,399licensed games
- North America: 1,900
- Japan: 2,400
- PAL: 2,900
Lineage
Release timeline
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- March 4, 2000
- 🇺🇸 North America
- October 26, 2000
- 🇪🇺 Europe / PAL
- November 24, 2000
- 🇦🇺 Australia
- June 13, 2025
- Lifespan
- 13 years on market
Pricing
Launch price (2000)
- 🇺🇸 USD
- $299
- 🇬🇧 GBP
- £299
Controller
DualShock 2 / EyeToy
Launch titles & exclusives
SSX · Tekken Tag Tournament · Madden NFL 2001 · Smuggler's Run · TimeSplitters · Ridge Racer V · Armored Core 2 · Dynasty Warriors 2 · NHL 2001 · Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore · Unreal Tournament · FantaVision
None (no pack-in at launch)
God of War · God of War II · Shadow of the Colossus · Ico · Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3 · Gran Turismo 3 & 4 · Final Fantasy X & XII · Okami · Persona 3 & 4 · Jak and Daxter · Ratchet & Clank · Sly Cooper · Devil May Cry
Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 (2013) — Sony stopped manufacturing PS2 hardware the same year
Kuon (NA, ~$500–$1000 CIB); Haunting Ground (NA, ~$300–$600 CIB); sealed launch SCPH-30001 units
Variants of PlayStation 2
Hardware specs
- Cpu
- Emotion Engine
- Gpu
- Graphics Synthesizer @ 150 MHz
- Ram
- 32 MB RAM, 4 MB Video RAM
- Sound
- AV Multi: (Stereophonic sound, 2ch), (Quadraphonic sound, 4ch), (5.1ch), RCA connector, Analog stereo, Dolby Pro Logic / Pro Logic II (Analog recording, Analog), Optical audio: (2ch), (4ch), (5.1ch), Dolby Digital (video only), Dolby Pro Logic / Pro Logic II (Digital electronics, Digital), DTS, Inc.…
- Weight
- Original:, Slim:
- Dimensions
- Original:
- Display Output
- 240p, 480i, 480p, 1080i
- Storage Internal
- 40 GB hard drive (optional)
Hardware revisions
- Phat SCPH-10000 to SCPH-50000(2000)
original launch hardware
⚠ disc-read errors from worn lasers (Disc Read Error 'DRE') the dominant failure mode
- Slim SCPH-70000 series(2004)
dramatically smaller, built-in Ethernet, more reliable optical drive
- Slim SCPH-90000(2008)
final revision with integrated power supply, lightest and most reliable
Launch colorways & special editions
- Aqua Blue (NA, 2002)
- Pearl White (JP)
- Satin Silver
- Sakura Pink (JP-only)
- Final Fantasy X-2 Crimson Red (JP)
- Resident Evil 4 Limited Edition
Modding scene
- Difficulty
- soft-mod
- Custom firmware
- FreeMcBoot (memory-card exploit); Open PS2 Loader (OPL)
Reception & legacy
Strong demand exceeded supply for months after launch; early library criticized as thin, with DVD playback as the de facto launch app
Iraq-import investigation (US briefly probed whether Cell-class processors could be weaponized); EU launch delayed several months past JP/NA
Best-selling console of all time (~155M units); cemented Sony's dominance through the 2000s and was a Trojan horse that helped DVD win the home-video format war
References
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PlayStation 2 in the news
Recent coverage mentioning the PlayStation 2, gathered from 80+ gaming-news sources.
Stranger Than Heaven Second-Take Preview: Stranger Than Heaven’s Combat Seems Harder Than Hell, and that’s a Good Thing
I’ve been a fan of the Yakuza or Like a Dragon series since the very beginning. As a magazine writer I was lucky enough to visit Sega’s headquarters in Tokyo during the development of the original PlayStation 2 title way back in 2005, and in my years at IGN I’ve reviewed a number of the remakes,...
Tetsuya Nomura calls Kingdom Hearts his lifelong work
The acclaimed Tetsuya Nomura has said that the Kingdom Hearts franchise “has become my life’s work” and that he can’t just leave it out. He said that since its inception on the PlayStation 2 he never believed that it would become “such a long journey.” He says there’s still plenty of life left in...
Final Fantasy X Gets New 25th Anniversary Artwork Featuring Chibi Cast
Square Enix has unveiled new artwork celebrating the 25th anniversary of Final Fantasy X. This latest illustration depicts the main cast, alongside Seymour and Jecht, in a chibi style. You can view the new artwork below: Final Fantasy X was the first entry in the franchise for the PlayStation 2. It...
Gitaroo Man Soundtrack Arrives on Streaming Services Alongside PlayStation Plus Return
Koei Tecmo has announced that the original soundtrack for the classic PlayStation 2 rhythm game Gitaroo Man is now available on streaming services such as Spotify, YouTube Music, and Apple Music. The album comprises 18 total songs, collectively lasting around an hour. This launch coincides with the...
Retroid Reveals New 12GB + 128GB "Top Stick" Pocket 6 Handheld
The Retroid Pocket 6configuration is one of the best Android retro handhelds on the market. It's an absolute monster, with great build quality and a large 5.5" display, wrapped in an Android OS, and good specs capable of emulating PlayStation 2 games. Originally, Retroid released
Beloved PS2 Action RPGs Announce PS5 Remaster in Trailer
A beloved trio of action RPGs from the PlayStation 2 era is coming to the PS5. Square Enix announced the news today as part of a surprising new batch of news. Kingdom Hearts 1-3 Collection arriving on the PS5 later this year During Nintendo’s Direct, Square Enix surprised fans by appearing and...