PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2 Specifications
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.
Advertisement
PlayStation 2 Emulators
PCSX2 is the leading PlayStation 2 emulator. It runs almost the whole PS2 library, often in HD, on Windows, Linux and macOS.
Play! is an open source PlayStation 2 emulator that doesn't need a PS2 BIOS, with builds for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and the web.
NeutrinoSX2 was one of the first open source PlayStation 2 emulators. It never ran commercial games, but its code helped others understand the PS2.
PS2emu is an experimental PlayStation 2 emulator used to test ways of speeding up PS2 emulation. It cannot run any games and is no longer developed.
