Playstation 2

The PlayStation 2 launched in North America in October 2000 and went on to become the best-selling console of all time, moving over 155 million units worldwide. It arrived with a built-in DVD player at a time when standalone DVD players were still expensive, which gave millions of people a reason to buy one even before they thought about the games. That combination of value and an eventually massive game library made it almost impossible to resist.

I played Grand Theft Auto 3 one time at a friend’s house and it has me wanting a PS2. I eventually got one and enjoyed all of the GTA games that were on the system.

PlayStation 2 Games and Library

The PS2 library grew to over 4,000 titles and remains one of the most celebrated in gaming history. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Shadow of the Colossus, God of War, Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy X, and Metal Gear Solid 3 all launched on the platform and each one felt like an event. The sheer range of what was available meant there was something for everyone, from sprawling open-world games to tight action titles to experimental art projects like ICO that still hold up today.

PlayStation 2 Hardware

The PS2 ran on Sony’s Emotion Engine CPU paired with a Graphics Synthesizer GPU, delivering graphics and processing power that felt genuinely next-generation at launch. Its DVD drive doubled as a home entertainment solution, and the console supported a wide range of peripherals including the EyeToy camera, dance mats, and the Network Adapter that enabled early online play through titles like SOCOM and Final Fantasy XI. Backward compatibility with original PlayStation games was a major selling point that made the transition feel seamless.

PlayStation 2 Legacy

The PS2 dominated its generation against the original Xbox and Nintendo GameCube, capturing a market share that neither competitor came close to matching. Its influence extended well beyond its own era, with franchises born on the platform, including God of War, Ratchet and Clank, and Jak and Daxter, continuing across multiple console generations. Sony kept producing PS2 units until 2013, over a decade after launch, a lifespan that speaks to how deeply embedded it became in the gaming landscape.

The PlayStation 2 didn’t just win its generation. It set a standard that every console since has been measured against.