Announced in 1999, Sony began developing the console after the immense success of its predecessor. The highlight of the system was itsEmotion Engine processor, co-developed by Sony andToshiba, which was said to be more powerful than personal computers.[12] The PS2 offeredbackward-compatibility for its predecessor'sDualShock controller, as well as its games.
The PlayStation 2 received widespread critical acclaim upon release. A total ofover 4,000 game titles were released worldwide, with 1.537 billion copies sold.[13] In 2004, Sony revised the console with a smaller, lighter body officially known as theSlimline, popularly called the "PS2 Slim". Even after the release of its successor, thePlayStation 3, it remained popular well into theseventh generation. It continued to be produced until the beginning of 2013 when Sony finally announced that it had been discontinued after over twelve years of production, one of the longest lifespans of any video game console. New games for the console continued to be released until shortly after the end of its life and support from Sony.
Released in 1994, the originalPlayStation proved to be a phenomenal worldwide success and signalled Sony's rise to power in thevideo game industry. Its launch elicited critical acclaim and strong sales; it eventually became the first computer entertainment platform to ship over 100 million units.[14] The PlayStation enjoyed particular success outside Japan in part due to Sony's refineddevelopment kits, large-scale advertising campaigns, and strongthird-party developer support.[15] By the late 1990s Sony had dethroned established rivalsSega andNintendo in the global video game market.[16][17] Sega, spurred on by its declining market share and significant financial losses,[18] launched theDreamcast in 1998 as a last-ditch attempt to stay in the industry.[19]
ThoughSony has kept details of the PlayStation 2's development secret,Ken Kutaragi, the chief designer of the original PlayStation, reportedly began working on a second console around the time of the original PlayStation's launch in late 1994.[35][36] At some point during development, employees fromArgonaut Games, under contract for semiconductor manufacturerLSI Corporation, were instructed to design a rendering chip for Sony's upcoming console.[37]Jez San, founder of Argonaut, recalled that his team had no direct contact with Sony during the development process. Unbeknownst to him, Sony was designing their own chip in-house and had instructed other companies to design rendering chips merely to diversify their options.[37]
By early 1997, the press was reporting that a new PlayStation was being developed and would have backward-compatibility with the original PlayStation, a built-inDVD player, and Internet connectivity.[38][39] However, Sony continued to officially deny that a successor was being developed.[40]Chris Deering, then-president of SCEE recalled that there was a degree of trepidation among Sony leaders to produce a console which would recapture or exceed the success of its predecessor.[41]
Sony announced the PlayStation 2 on 2 March 1999.[42] Sega's Dreamcast enjoyed a successful US launch on 9 September of that year;[42] fuelled by a large marketing campaign, it sold over 500,000 units within two weeks.[43][44]
"PlayStation 2's real-time graphics have no limitations. That's why I chose the colour black as it represents the infinity of the universe. The blue represents the intelligence and life spouting up."
—Teiyu Goto reflecting on the PlayStation 2's aesthetics[45]
The PS2 was launched in March 2000 in Japan, October in North America, and November in Europe. Sales of the console, games and accessories pulled in $250 million on the first day, beating the $97 million made on the first day of the Dreamcast.[48] Directly after its release, it was difficult to find PS2 units on retailer shelves[49] due to manufacturing delays.[50] Another option was purchasing the console online through auction websites such aseBay, where people paid over a thousand dollars for the console.[51] The PS2 initially sold well partly on the basis of the strength of the PlayStation brand and the console's backward compatibility, selling its entire inventory of 1.4 million units in Japan by 31 March 2000, less than a month after launch.[42] From its launch until the end of 2000 in Japan, its best-selling software wasRidge Racer V followed byGeki Kuukan Pro Baseball: At the End of the Century 1999,Tekken Tag Tournament,Kessen,Dead or Alive 2 andJikkyo Powerful Pro Baseball 7.[52]
Marketing for the PlayStation 2 reverted to the same tactic used in the early days of the original PlayStation: use 17-year-olds as thetarget audience, since younger audiences aspire to be teenagers and older audiences enjoy video games at the same level they did when they were 17.[53] The slogan used was:Live in your world. Play in ours. (Stylized as: "LIVE IN YUR WRLD. PLY INURS.")
Backward compatibility had been widely seen as a desirable feature for consumers since the debut of the first successor video game console, but prior to the PlayStation 2 only one console had featured true backward compatibility (i.e. without the use of add-ons), theAtari 7800, due to the added hardware costs and industry concerns that backward compatibility could cause the console to appear to be a merely a new model of its predecessor or lead developers to prefer making games for the predecessor system.[54]
Later, Sony added new development kits for game developers and more PS2 units for consumers. The PS2's built-in functionality also expanded its audience beyond the gamer,[10] as its debut pricing was less than many standalone DVD players on the market. This made the console a low-cost entry into the home theater market.[53][55]
The success of the PS2 at the end of 2000 caused Sega problems both financially and competitively, and Sega announced the discontinuation of the Dreamcast in March 2001, just 18 months after its successful Western launch. Despite the Dreamcast still receiving support through 2001, the PS2 remained the only sixth-generation console for over 6 months before it faced competition from new rivals: Nintendo'sGameCube and Microsoft'sXbox. Many analysts predicted a close three-way matchup among the three consoles. The Xbox had the most powerful hardware, while the GameCube was the least expensive console, and Nintendo changed its policy to encourage third-party developers. While the PlayStation 2 theoretically had the weakest hardware of the three, it had a head start due to its installed base plus strong developer commitment, as well as a built-inDVD player (the Xbox required an adapter, while the GameCube lacked support entirely).[56]
The PlayStation 2's initial games lineup was considered mediocre, with a lack of quality games especially amid the expectations of its hardware capabilities (partly caused due to its complex architecture for developers).[57] This changed during the 2001holiday season with the release of several blockbuster games that maintained the PS2's sales momentum and held off its newer rivals. Sony also countered the Xbox by securing timed PlayStation 2 exclusives for highly anticipated games such as theGrand Theft Auto series andMetal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty.[58] In a 2002 article analysis of the system up to that point,Edge noted:[57]
Now, 18 months on, things are looking much rosier for PS2 owners. Developers are coming to terms with the parallel architecture and fears that the PS2 would suffer the same fate as theSega Saturn now seem ridiculous. A mixture of hard work, trial and error andmiddleware tools is also ensuring that development cycles are getting shorter and game quality improving. It's taken much longer than anticipated, but exceptional titles are beginning to come through.
Sony cut the price of the console in May 2002 from US$299 to $199 in North America,[59] making it the same price as the GameCube and $100 less than the Xbox. It also planned to cut the price in Japan around that time.[60] It cut the price twice in Japan in 2003.[61] Until 2008, the PlayStation 2 was the best-selling and most played console.[62] In 2006, Sony cut the cost of the console in anticipation of the release of thePlayStation 3.[61]
Unlike Sega's Dreamcast, Sony originally placed little emphasis on online gaming during its first few years, although that changed upon the launch of the online-capable Xbox. Coinciding with the release ofXbox Live, Sony released thePlayStation 2 Network Adaptor in late 2002, with several online first-party titles released alongside it, such asSOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs to demonstrate its active support for Internet play.[63] Sony also advertised heavily, and its online model had the support ofElectronic Arts (EA); EA did not offer online Xbox titles until 2004.
In September 2004, Sony revealed a newer, slimmer model of the PlayStation 2.[64] In preparation for the launch of the new models (SCPH-700xx-9000x), Sony stopped making the older models (SCPH-3000x-500xx) to let the distribution channel empty its stock of the units.[citation needed] After an apparent manufacturing issue—Sony reportedly underestimated demand—caused some initial slowdown in producing the new unit caused in part by shortages between the time Sony cleared out the old units and the new units were ready. The issue was compounded in Britain when a Russian oil tanker became stuck in theSuez Canal, blocking a ship from China carrying PS2s bound for the UK. During one week in November, British sales totalled 6,000 units—compared to 70,000 units a few weeks prior.[65] There were shortages in more than 1,700 shops in North America on the day before Christmas.[66]
In 2010, Sony introduced a TV with a built-in PlayStation 2.[67][68]
The PlayStation 2 continued to be produced until 2013 when Sony announced that it had been discontinued after over twelve years of production—one of the longest lifespans of any video game console. New games for the console continued to be made until the end of 2013, includingFinal Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin for Japan, andFIFA 14 for North America.[69] The last game to be released for the PlayStation 2 isPro Evolution Soccer 2014, which was released in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2013. Repair services for the system in Japan ended on 7 September 2018.
The PlayStation 2's maincentral processing unit (CPU) is the64-bit R5900-based "Emotion Engine", custom-designed by Sony andToshiba.[70][c] The Emotion Engine consists of eight separate "units", each performing a specific task, integrated onto the samedie. These units include a central CPU core, twoVector Processing Units (VPU), a 10-channelDMA unit, amemory controller, and an Image Processing Unit (IPU). There are three interfaces: an input output interface to the I/O processor running at a clock speed of 36.864 MHz, a graphics interface to the graphics synthesiser, and a memory interface to the system memory.[71] The Emotion Engine CPU has aclock rate of 294.912MHz (299 MHz on newer versions) and 6,000MIPS, with a floating point performance of 6.2GFLOPS.[72][73][74][75][failed verification] The system's I/O processor was based on the PlayStation's CPU and was designed to provide full backward compatibility with the PlayStation.[76] The system has 32 MB ofRDRAM.[72]
TheGPU is likewise custom-designed for the console, named the "Graphics Synthesizer". It has afillrate of 2.4 gigapixels per second, capable of rendering up to 75 million polygons per second.[77] The GPU also runs with a clock frequency of 147.456 MHz (which is half the clock speed of the Emotion Engine), 4 MB ofDRAM is capable of transmitting a display output of 1280 x 1024 pixels on bothPAL andNTSC televisions.[78] The PlayStation 2 has a maximumcolour depth of 16.7 milliontrue colours.[79] When accounting for features such aslighting,texture mapping,artificial intelligence, andgame physics, the console has a real-world performance of 25 million polygons per second.[78] The PlayStation 2 also features twoUSB ports, and oneIEEE 1394 (Firewire) port for SCPH-10000 to 3900x models only. Ahard disk drive can be installed in anexpansion bay on the back of the console, and is required to play certain games, notably the popularFinal Fantasy XI.[80] The system has 4 MB ofVideo RAM in the form ofeDRAM.[81][82]
Software for the PlayStation 2 was distributed primarily onDVD-ROMs,[83] with some titles being published on blue-tinted CD-ROM format. In addition, the console can playaudio CDs and DVD films and isbackward-compatible with almost all original PlayStation games.[78] The PlayStation 2 also supports PlayStationmemory cards and controllers, although original PlayStation memory cards will only work with original PlayStation games[84] and the controllers may not support all functions (such as analogue buttons) for PlayStation 2 games.
The standard PlayStation 2 memory card has an 8 megabyte (MB) capacity[85] and featuresMagicGate encryption. There are a variety of non-Sony manufactured memory cards available for the PlayStation 2, allowing for a memory capacity larger than the standard 8 MB.
The PlayStation 2 can natively output video resolutions onSDTV andHDTV from480i to480p, and some games, such asGran Turismo 4 andTourist Trophy, are known to support up-scaled1080i resolution.[86] The PlayStation 2 supports the following standards:composite video[87](480i),S-Video[88] (480i),RGB[89] (480i/p),VGA[90] (for progressive scan games andPS2 Linux only),YPBPR component video[91] (which display most original PlayStation games in their native 240p mode which most HDTV sets do not support[92]), andD-Terminal.[93] Cables are available for all of these signal types; these cables also output analogue stereo audio. Additionally, anRF modulator is available for the system to connect to older TVs.[94]
Rear of the slim model, showing its built-in networking
The PlayStation 2 has undergone many revisions,[95] some only of internal construction and others involving substantial external changes.
The PS2 is primarily differentiated between models featuring the original "fat" case design and "slimline" models, which were introduced at the end of 2004. In 2010, the Sony Bravia KDL-22PX300 was made available to consumers. It was a 22" HD-Ready television which incorporated a built-in PlayStation 2.[96][97]
The standard color of the PS2 is matte black. Several variations in color were produced in different quantities and regions, including ceramic white, light yellow, metallic blue (aqua), metallic silver, navy (star blue), opaque blue (astral blue), opaque black (midnight black), pearl white,sakura purple, satin gold, satin silver, snow white, super red, transparent blue (ocean blue), and also Limited Edition color Pink, which was distributed in some regions such as Oceania, and parts of Asia.[98][99]
In September 2004, Sony unveiled its third major hardware revision. Available in late October 2004, it was smaller, thinner, and quieter than the original versions and included a built-inEthernet port (in some markets it also had an integratedmodem). Due to its thinner profile, it did not contain the 3.5"expansion bay and therefore did not support the internal hard disk drive. It also lacked an internal power supply until a later revision (excluding the Japanese version), similar to theGameCube, and had a modifiedMultitap expansion. The removal of the expansion bay was criticized as a limitation to software, due to the existence of titles such asFinal Fantasy XI, which required the HDD use.
Sony also manufactured a consumer electronic device called thePSX that can be used as adigital video recorder, and a DVD burner in addition to playing PS2 games. The device was released in Japan on 13 December 2003, and was the first Sony product to include theXrossMediaBar interface. It did not sell well in the Japanese market, and was not released anywhere else.[100]
PlayStation 2 users had the option to play select games over theInternet, usingdial-up or abroadbandInternet connection. ThePlayStation 2 Network Adaptor was required for the original models, while the slim models included built-in networking ports. Instead of having a unified, subscription-based online service likeXbox Live as competitor Microsoft later chose for its Xbox console, online multiplayer functionality on the PlayStation 2 was the responsibility of the game publisher and ran on third-party servers. Many games that supported online play exclusively supported broadband Internet access.
The PS2's controller, theDualShock 2, has the same form factor as the PlayStationDualShock.
The PlayStation 2'sDualShock 2 controller retains most of the same functionality as its predecessor. However, it includesanalogue pressure sensitivity to over 100 individual levels of depth on the face, shoulder and D-pad buttons,[72] replacing thedigital buttons of the original.[101] Like its predecessor, the DualShock 2 controller hasforce feedback, or "vibration" functionality. It is lighter and includes two more levels ofvibration.
Optional hardware includes additional DualShock or DualShock 2 controllers, a PS2 DVDremote control, an internal or externalhard disk drive (HDD), a network adapter, horizontal and vertical stands, PlayStation or PS2memory cards, themultitap for PlayStation or PS2, aUSB motion camera (EyeToy), a USBkeyboard andmouse, and aheadset.
The original PS2 multitap (SCPH-10090) cannot be plugged into the newer slim models. The multitap connects to the memory card slot and the controller slot, and the memory card slot on the slimline is shallower. New slim-design multitaps (SCPH-70120) were manufactured for these models; however, third-party adapters also permit original multitaps to be used.
Early versions of the PS2 could be networked via ani.LINK port, though this had little game support and was dropped. Some third-party manufacturers have created devices that allow disabled people to access the PS2 through ordinary switches, etc.
Some third-party companies, such asJoytech, have producedLCDmonitor and speaker attachments for the PS2, which attach to the back of the console. These allow users to play games without access to a television as long as there is access tomains electricity or a similar power source. These screens can fold down onto the PS2 in a similar fashion tolaptop screens.
Unlike the PlayStation, which requires the use of an official SonyPlayStation Mouse to play mouse-compatible games, the few PS2 games with mouse support work with a standard USB mouse as well as a USBtrackball.[106] In addition, some of these games also support the usage of a USB keyboard for text input, game control (instead of a DualShock or DualShock 2 gamepad, in tandem with a USB mouse), or both.
PlayStation 2 software is distributed on CD-ROM and DVD-ROM; the two formats are differentiated by their discs' bottoms, with CD-ROMs being blue and DVD-ROMs being silver. The PlayStation 2 offered some particularly high-profile exclusive games. Most main entries in theGrand Theft Auto,Final Fantasy, andMetal Gear Solid series were released exclusively for the console. Several prolific series got their start on the PlayStation 2, includingGod of War,Ratchet & Clank,Jak and Daxter,Devil May Cry,Kingdom Hearts, andSly Cooper.Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was the best-selling game on the console.
Game releases peaked in 2004, but declined with the release of thePlayStation 3 in 2006. The last new games for the console wereFinal Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin in Asia,FIFA 14 in North America,[69] andPro Evolution Soccer 2014 in Europe. As of 30 June 2007, a total of 10,035software titles had been released worldwide including games released in multiple regions as separate titles.[107]
Initial reviews of the PlayStation 2 from 2000 highly acclaimed the console, with reviewers commending its hardware and graphics capabilities, its ability to play DVDs, and the system's backward compatibility with games and hardware for the original PlayStation. Early points of criticism included the lack of online support at the time, its inclusion of only two controller ports, and the system's price at launch compared to the Dreamcast in 2000.[108][109]PC Magazine in 2001 called the console "outstanding", praising its "noteworthy components" such as the Emotion Engine CPU, 32 MB of RAM, support forIEEE 1394 (branded as "i.LINK" by Sony and "FireWire" by Apple), and the console's twoUSB ports while criticizing its "expensive" games and its support for only two controllers without themultitap accessory.[110]
There was, however, some concern about the system's abilities following the lack ofanti-aliasing in the two most popular early titles,Ridge Racer V andTekken Tag Tournament.[111] It was exacerbated for a period of time post-launch amid concerns about the relative lack of new quality software.[112] This situation was eventually turned around following a spate of big and highly acclaimed games in the final quarter of 2001.[57] Later reviews, especially after the launch of the competingGameCube andXbox systems, continued to praise the PlayStation 2's large game library and DVD playback, while routinely criticizing the PlayStation 2's lesser graphics performance compared to the newer systems and its rudimentary online service compared toXbox Live. In 2002,CNET rated the console 7.3 out of 10, calling it a "safe bet" despite not being the "newest or most powerful", noting that the console "yields in-game graphics with more jagged edges". CNET also criticized the DVD playback functionality, claiming that the console's video quality was "passable" and that the playback controls were "rudimentary", recommending users to purchase a remote control. The console's two controller ports and the high cost of its memory cards were also a point of criticism.[113]
The slim model of the PlayStation 2 received positive reviews for its incredibly small size and built-in networking but received criticism for easily overheating due to the exclusion of the original model's built-in fan. The requirement for a separate power adapter was criticized while the top-loading disc drive was noted as being less likely to break compared to the tray-loading drive of the original model.[114][115]
Demand for the PlayStation 2 remained strong throughout much of its lifespan, selling over 1.4 million units in Japan by 31 March 2000. Over 10.6 million units were sold worldwide by 31 March 2001.[116] In 2005, the PlayStation 2 became the fastest game console to reach 100 million units shipped, accomplishing the feat within 5 years and 9 months from its launch; this was surpassed 4 years later when theNintendo DS reached 100 million shipments in 4 years and 5 months from its launch.[117] By July 2009, the system had sold 138.8 million units worldwide, with 51 million of those units sold inPAL regions.[118] By 31 March 2012, over 155 million PlayStation 2 units were sold worldwide,[119] and in the same year, Sony officially stopped supplying updated sales numbers of the system.[120]
On 29 March 2024, Jim Ryan (CEO ofSony Interactive Entertainment) stated on the Official PlayStation Podcast that the PlayStation 2 had sold over 160 million units worldwide.[121] This statement was not corroborated by Sony directly until nearly eight months later, with this figure appearing on the PlayStation 30th Anniversary website on 26 November 2024.[34]
Using homebrew programs, it is possible to play various audio and video file formats on a PS2. Homebrew programs can also play patched backups of original PS2 DVD games on unmodified consoles and install retail discs to an installed hard drive on older models. Homebrew emulators of older computer and gaming systems have been developed for the PS2.[122]
Sony released aLinux-based operating system,Linux for PlayStation 2, for the PS2 in a package that also includes akeyboard,mouse,Ethernet adapter and HDD. In Europe and Australia, the PS2 comes with a freeYabasic interpreter on the bundled demo disc. This allows users to create simple programs for the PS2. A port of theNetBSD project andBlackRhino GNU/Linux, an alternativeDebian-based distribution, are also available for the PS2.
^The Emotion Engine was referred to as a "128-bit" processor in marketing materials, referring to itsSIMD instructions that operate on 128-bit wide groups of integers in a single instruction, but the customized variant of theMIPS IIIinstruction set architecture implemented by the processor uses general registers with a size of 64 bits.
^Gaither, Chris. "Sony to Cut PlayStation 2 Price by $100." New York Times: 0. 14 May 2002. ProQuest. Web. 29 July 2013.
^"Sony to Cut Price of PlayStation 2 in Japan Market --- Move Follows Plan to Lower Cost of Product in U.S. by a Third." Asian Wall Street Journal: 0. 15 May 2002. ProQuest. Web. 29 July 2013.
^ab"Sony to Cut Price of PlayStation 2 Game Console by 20 Percent." Knight Ridder Tribune Business News: 1. 4 November 2003. ProQuest. Web. 29 July 2013.
^Dunham, Jeremy (21 September 2004)."Sony Announces New PS2".IGN.com. IGN Entertainment, Inc. Archived fromthe original on 23 September 2004. Retrieved4 November 2023.
^Zdyrko, Dave (27 September 2001)."Dual Shock 2 Review".IGN.Chicago:Ziff Davis.Archived from the original on 15 May 2011. Retrieved7 February 2011.The biggest difference between the Dual Shock 2 and the original… all of the buttons and even the digital pad offer analog support. This means that the d-pad, the four face buttons and the four shift buttons are all pressure-sensitive and have 255 degrees of sensitivity. It is also worth noting that the Dual Shock 2 is a bit lighter than the original Dual Shock because it appears to have less in the way of gears for the vibration function of the controller.
^Gantayat, Anoop (25 October 2004)."DQVIII Gets Slimy".IGN.Archived from the original on 21 April 2006. Retrieved1 April 2024.
.png)
.jpg)
