- The PlayStation 2 was released on March 4, 2019.
- It remains to this day the best selling console of all time.
- The PS2 was the first home of many of today’s biggest franchises.
Sony’s PlayStation 2 console released twenty years ago today on March 4, . Has it been that long?
The PlayStation 2 Is Twenty Years Old Today
Many will fondly remember the console’s blocky aesthetic. The ethereal quality of the gentle synth stab and floating orbs of that no iconic boot-up sequence are etched in many a player’s mind. The hours ours spent basking in the comforting green glow of that all-too-familiar power button.
The console was the proving grounds for many of today’s major franchises. From God of War to Yakuza by way of Kingdom Hearts, the PlayStation 2 was the first home of numerous stalwarts of the modern gaming landscape.
Let’s not forget, the PlayStation 2 was the platform where Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto transitioned from its top-down perspective to the dazzling world of 3D. The switch spawned seminal games like Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Other than handheld consoles, the closest competitor is Sony’s very own PlayStation 4, with 728 million units sold as of January this year .
For younger players, the PlayStation 2 is a relic of the past. A piece of history long superseded by better graphics and more powerful successor consoles.
But, the console defined a decade of video games and played a big part in securing the medium a berth as a mainstream pastime. Gaming wouldn’t be quite what it is today without it.
The PlayStation 2 truly was a phenomenal console.
This article was edited by Samburaj Das
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