March 4, 2020 will mark the 20th anniversary of the release of the PlayStation 2 in Japan. Sony Interactive Entertainment's follow-up to the highly successful PlayStation was more than a hardware upgrade, it was a cultural phenomenon that became the highest-selling console of all time. The PlayStation 2 sold 155 million units sold over its 12-year lifespan, one of the longest lifespans for any gaming console, and had over 3,000 games released for it. Included in this massive library are some of the most critically-acclaimed titles ever released. With the PlayStation 5 on its way, let's look back at what many consider to be the defining console of the sixth generation of gaming.
With over 100 million units sold, the original PlayStation was already a massive global success during the late 90's thanks to its cartridge-killing CD-ROM technology, innovative DualShock controller and impressive library of games that includes Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid and Gran Turismo. Development on a follow-up started almost immediately after the first PlayStation was released with the intent on improving on the original console's technology and adding multiple new features. The unnamed follow-up to the PlayStation was officially announced on March 1, 1999, and the official title of PlayStation 2 was announced in September that year with a $299 price tag and a boatload of hype surrounding it.
The PS2 is largely believed to have killed the Sega Dreamcast, effectively ending Sega's console run and forcing them to go third party. The console achieved high sales on opening day, with the PS2 topping $250 million in first day sales while the Dreamcast only mustered $95 million. Sales would only continue to get stronger as the year went on, with the Dreamcast dropping in popularity and costing Sega millions in losses. With a lack of support from publishers like EA and Squaresoft, piracy issues and rumors that Microsoft would enter the gaming market soon, the writing was on the wall for Sega. The Dreamcast was officially continued in 2001, and the PS2 went on to publish many Sega titles over the years.
Many different factors led to the PS2 becoming a console killer. The upgraded technology was a big draw for hardcore gamers, with the Emotion Engine CPU promising the highest quality graphics at the time and an expansion bay that allowed massive games such as Final Fantasy XI to be played on the console. The system also featured online functionality using a network adapter, popularizing online play before Xbox Live entered the market and succeeding where the Dreamcast had failed. But there were two big technical aspects for the PS2 that really won consumers over: backwards compatibility with PlayStation One games and a built-in DVD player. These not only made the console an attractive option for early adopters who were waiting on the newer games to come out, but it also made the PS2 one of the cheapest DVD players on the market, which helped the console appeal to a more general audience.
Of course, the PlayStation 2 wouldn't be as successful as it was without great games. The PS2 saw the launch of many first and third party games that are still fondly remembered today. The console saw the debut of such acclaimed first-party series like Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, Rachet & Clank and God of War, with the latter two series releasing several new titles over the years for both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 consoles.
Some of the most acclaimed third-party games released for the PS2 included Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (the best-selling game on the console), Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, Gran Turismo 4, Grand Theft Auto 3, Final Fantasy X, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Devil May Cry and Kingdom Hearts. These titles helped define the PS2 and established it as the go-to console for high quality games that appealed to all audiences.
As time went on, the PS2 would maintain a steady stream of popularity over the years, even with competition from Nintendo's Gamecube and Microsoft's Xbox. The console received its first hardware revision in 2004 with the PlayStation 2 Slim. This was a smaller, lighter version of the console that featured a built-in ethernet port for online play, though it did remove the expansion bay. The PS2 also saw plenty of hardware accessories made for the console, most notably the EyeToy. The EyeToy was a webcam that allowed for augmented reality gaming, and it was the precursor for the PlayStation Eye and later the PlayStation camera. Other accessories included a DVD remote control for watching movies, a mouse and keyboard, buzzers for the quiz game series Buzz and microphones for the karaoke series SingStar.
The PlayStation 2's success would continue well into the lifespan of its successor, the PlayStation 3. Publishers continued to release games for the console until late 2013, with the last games released for the console being Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin in Japan, FIFA 13 in North America and Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 in Europe. As the PlayStation brand continues to grow, the PlayStation 2 will always have a place in gamer's hearts.