PS2

PlayStation 2

Left: Original PlayStation 2, with vertical stand Right: Slimline PlayStation 2, with vertical stand, 8 MB memory card and DualShock 2 controller
Also known as	PS2
Developer	Sony Computer Entertainment
Manufacturer	Sony
Product family	PlayStation
Type	Home video game console
Generation	Sixth generation
Release date	March 4, 2000; 16 years ago (March 4, 2000) PlayStation 2 JP: March 4, 2000 (March 4, 2000) NA: October 26, 2000 (October 26, 2000) EU: November 24, 2000 (November 24, 2000) AU: November 30, 2000 (November 30, 2000) PlayStation 2 Slim EU: October 29, 2004 (October 29, 2004) JP: November 3, 2004 (November 3, 2004) NA: November 25, 2004 (November 25, 2004) AU: December 2, 2004 (December 2, 2004)
Retail availability	2000–2013
Discontinued	JP: December 28, 2012 WW: January 4, 2013
Units sold	Approximately 155 million (as of March 31, 2012)
Media	DVD, CD
CPU	"Emotion Engine" clocked at 294.912 MHz (launch), 299 MHz (newer models), with 128-bit SIMD capabilities
Memory	32 MB of Direct RAMBUS or RDRAM 4 MB eDRAM
Storage	PlayStation 2 memory card 8 megabyte PlayStation memory card (128 kilobytes/1 megabit) 40 GB Hard Drive (add-on)
Display	Composite video S-Video RGB SCART VGA (progressive scan capable software only) YPBPR component video/D-Terminal
Graphics	"Graphics Synthesizer" clocked at 147.456 MHz
Sound	Dolby Digital 5.1 DTS 5.1
Controller input	DualShock 2, DualShock, EyeToy
Connectivity	100 Mbit Ethernet/modem (requires adapter on SCPH-10000-500xx models), 2 × USB 1.1, 1 × IEEE 1394 interface
Online services	Dynamic Network Authentication System
Best-selling game	Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas: 17.33 million sold (as of February 2009)
Backward compatibility	PlayStation
Predecessor	PlayStation
Successor	PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 2 (abbreviated as PS2) is a home video game console that was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the successor to the PlayStation, and is the second installment in the PlayStation lineup of consoles. It was released on March 4, 2000 in Japan, October 26, 2000 in North America, November 24, 2000 in Europe, and November 17, 2000 in Australia. It competed with Sega's Dreamcast, Microsoft's Xbox, and Nintendo's GameCube in the sixth generation of video game consoles.

Announced in 1999, the PlayStation 2 was the first PlayStation console to offer backwards compatibility for its predecessor's DualShock controller, as well as for its games. The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling video game console of all time, selling over 155 million units, with 150 million confirmed by Sony in 2011. More than 3,874 game titles have been released for the PS2 since launch, and more than 1.5 billion copies have been sold. Sony later manufactured several smaller, lighter revisions of the console known as Slimline models in 2004 and well on, and in 2006, announced and launched its successor, the PlayStation 3.

Even with the release of its successor, the PlayStation 2 remained popular well into the seventh generation and continued to be produced until January 4, 2013, when Sony finally announced that the PlayStation 2 had been discontinued after 13 years of production – one of the longest runs for a video game console. Despite the announcement, new games for the console continued to be produced until the end of 2013, including Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin for Japan, Pro Evolution Soccer 2014 for North America and Europe, and FIFA 14 for Brazil.