PlayStation 2

"PS2" redirects here. For other uses, see PS2 (disambiguation).

The PlayStation 2 console and controller

The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is Sony's second video game console. It was released in Japan on March 4, 2000. It released in other regions later that year. The console released before this was the PlayStation (PS1). The PlayStation 2 competed with the Sega Dreamcast, the Nintendo GameCube, and the Microsoft Xbox during its lifetime.

The PS2 was very successful. Even today, it is the world's best-selling console. It had sold around 160 million units since its launch in March 2000.

Functions and backwards compatibility

As well as PlayStation games, the PS2 could play CD and DVD format discs. This helped the console with its success, as many standalone DVD players at the time could cost a lot of money. Many people called it an "entertainment hub" because you can play many different kinds of media on it. The PS2 was also backwards compatible, meaning it could play games from the earlier console, the PS1. The PS2 was backwards compatible with about 98% of PS1 games, so people who owned a PS1 would already have games to play on the PS2.

Many PS2 games have online multiplayer modes available, such as Tony Hawk: Pro Skater 3, the first ever PlayStation game with an online mode. A few games can connect with the PlayStation Portable (PSP).

Revised models

On November 3, 2004, Sony released a revised (newer) model of the PS2 called the PlayStation 2 Slimline (PS2 Slim). It was called this because it is a lot smaller and lighter than the original PS2 model. The PS2 Slim also has an ethernet port so that more people would be able to access the Internet to play online games. In 2006, there were different colored versions of the PS2 Slim released, such as pink, white, red, silver, and blue models.

In 2010, Sony produced a Bravia television with a built-in PS2. It was only made for Europe, and was released 10 years after the PS2 did. This made it hard-to-find at the time. Now the television is very rare to find and expensive to buy second-hand.

Discontinuation

Sony announced that they had discontinued the PlayStation 2 in Japan on December 28, 2012, and worldwide on January 4, 2013. The last two games to come out for the system were FIFA 14 and Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 (released only in Europe) in late 2013 (a week before the PlayStation 4's release date). Both these games also had PS3 and PS4 versions. Online support for games had ended on March 31, 2016. Repair for the console had ended in Japan on September 7, 2018 because Sony was running out of replacement parts for it.

PSX

Main article: PSX (digital video recorder)

The PSX was released in 2003. It was a video recorder that allowed you to play PlayStation 2 games. It had a built-in hard drive (up to 250 GB). It did not sell well because it was expensive, so it was not released outside of Japan. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas became the most sold game, with over 27.5 million copies sold.