PlayStation 2

Sony's DVD-playing console

2000Released
6thGeneration
SonyDeveloper

PlayStation 2 Specifications

Processor: Emotion Engine (128-bit)
Processor Speed: 294.912 MHz (Original) | 299 MHz (New)
Co-Processor: Floating -point unit (FPU) (32-bit)
Co-Processor Speed: 147.456 MHz
RAM: 32 MB DRAM
GPU: Graphics Synthesizer
GPU Speed: 147.456 MHz
Video RAM: 4 MB
Resolution: 256 x 224 to 1280 x 1024 pixels
Audio Processor: SPU
Audio Processor Speed: 8 MHz
Audio Processor RAM: 2 MB
Audio Channels: 48
Audio Sample Frequency: 44.1 kHZ or 48 kHZ

Overview

The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a sixth-generation console and Sony’s successor to its hugely successful PlayStation. It became one of the best-selling consoles of all time, selling over 155 million units during a long lifespan that ran from 2000 to 2013.

The PS2 faced some of the stiffest competition in gaming history, including a new entrant, Microsoft. Its rivals were SEGA’s final console, the Dreamcast, Nintendo’s GameCube and Microsoft’s Xbox.

A key feature of the PS2 was backward compatibility with PlayStation games, so buyers of the new console did not have to abandon their game library or keep their old console. This was unusual at the time, when a new console generally meant starting again with a new library. The PS2 also supported the original PlayStation’s DualShock controllers.

PS2 emulation owes its success largely to the PCSX2 project, which was started by members of the team behind the PlayStation emulator PCSX.

PCSX2 proved that PS2 emulation was possible, and after many years of development it has matured exceptionally well. Almost every game is now playable, with good accuracy and speed.