PlayStation 2 - wikipedia PlayStation 2 `` PS2 '' redirects here. For the lineup of IBM computers, see IBM Personal System / 2. For the port itself, see PS / 2 port. For other uses, see PS2 ( disambiguation ). 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 PlayStation 2 JP : March 4, 2000 NA : October 26, 2000 EU : November 24, 2000 AU : November 30, 2000 PlayStation 2 Slimline EU : October 29, 2004 JP : November 3, 2004 NA : November 25, 2004 AU : 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 '' @ 300 MHz Memory 32 MB of RDRAM ( system RAM ) 4 MB of eDRAM ( video RAM ) Storage 40 GB hard drive ( add - on ) Removable storage 8 MB PlayStation 2 memory card 128 KB PlayStation memory card Display Video output formats Composite video S - Video SCART / JP21 RGB VGA ( progressive scan capable software only ) YP P component video / D - Terminal Graphics 150 MHz `` Graphics Synthesizer '' Sound Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 Controller input DualShock 2, DualShock, EyeToy, PlayStation 2 DVD Remote Control Connectivity 100 Mbit Ethernet / modem ( requires adapter on SCPH - 10000 - 500xx models ), 2 × USB 1.1, 1 × IEEE 1394 interface Online services PS2 Online 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 ( 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 in 2000 and 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. In 2006, Sony 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. Contents 1 History 2 Hardware 2.1 Audio / video 2.2 Retail configurations 2.3 Disc Read Error ( DRE ) lawsuit 3 Games 4 Online functionality 5 Reception 5.1 Sales 6 Accessories 6.1 General 6.2 Music 6.3 Controllers 6.4 Mouse and Keyboard 7 Homebrew development 8 See also 9 References History Though Sony has kept details of the PlayStation 2 's development secret, work on the console began around the time that the original PlayStation was released ( in late 1994 ). Insiders stated that it was developed in the U.S. West Coast by former members of Argonaut Software. By 1997 word had leaked to the press that the console would have backwards compatibility with the original PlayStation, a built - in DVD player, and Internet connectivity. Sony announced the PlayStation 2 ( PS2 ) on March 1, 1999. The video game console was positioned as a competitor to Sega 's Dreamcast, the first sixth - generation console to be released, although ultimately the main rivals of the PS2 were Nintendo 's GameCube and Microsoft 's Xbox. The Dreamcast itself launched very successfully in North America later that year, selling over 500,000 units within two weeks. Soon after the Dreamcast 's North American launch, Sony unveiled the PlayStation 2 at the Tokyo Game Show on September 20, 1999. Sony showed fully playable demos of upcoming PlayStation 2 games including Gran Turismo 2000 ( later released as Gran Turismo 3 : A-Spec ) and Tekken Tag Tournament -- which showed the console 's graphic abilities and power. The PS2 was launched in March 2000 in Japan, October in North America, and November in Europe. Sales of the console, games and accessories pulled in $250 million on the first day, beating the $97 million made on the first day of the Dreamcast. Directly after its release, it was difficult to find PS2 units on retailer shelves due to manufacturing delays. Another option was purchasing the console online through auction websites such as eBay, where people paid over a thousand dollars for the console. The PS2 initially sold well partly on the basis of the strength of the PlayStation brand and the console 's backward compatibility, selling over 980,000 units in Japan by March 5, 2000, one day after launch. This allowed the PS2 to tap the large install base established by the PlayStation -- another major selling point over the competition. Later, Sony added new development kits for game developers and more PS2 units for consumers. The PS2 's built - in functionality also expanded its audience beyond the gamer, as its debut pricing was the same or less than a standalone DVD player. This made the console a low cost entry into the home theater market. The success of the PS2 at the end of 2000 caused Sega problems both financially and competitively, and Sega announced the discontinuation of the Dreamcast in March 2001, just 18 months after its successful launch. The PS2 remained as the only active sixth generation console for over 6 months, before it would face competition from newer rivals ; Nintendo 's GameCube and Microsoft 's Xbox, which were then released. Many analysts predicted a close three - way matchup among the three consoles ; the Xbox having the most powerful hardware, while the GameCube was the least expensive console, and Nintendo changed its policy to encourage third - party developers. While the PlayStation 2 theoretically had the weakest specification of the three, it had a head start due to its installed base plus strong developer commitment, as well as a built - in DVD player ( the Xbox required an adapter, while the GameCube lacked support entirely ). While the PlayStation 2 's initial games lineup was considered mediocre, this changed during the 2001 holiday season with the release of several blockbuster games that maintained the PS2 's sales momentum and held off its newer rivals. Sony also countered the Xbox by temporarily securing PlayStation 2 exclusives for highly anticipated games such as the Grand Theft Auto series and Metal Gear Solid 2 : Sons of Liberty. Sony cut the price of the console in May 2002 from US $299 to $199 in North America, making it the same price as the GameCube and $100 less than the Xbox. It also planned to cut the price in Japan around that time. It cut the price twice in Japan in 2003. In 2006, Sony cut the cost of the console in anticipation of the release of the PlayStation 3. Sony, unlike Sega with its Dreamcast, originally placed little emphasis on online gaming during its first few years, although that changed upon the launch of the online - capable Xbox. Coinciding with the release of Xbox Live, Sony released the PlayStation Network Adapter in late 2002, with several online first -- party titles released alongside it, such as SOCOM : U.S. Navy SEALs to demonstrate its active support for Internet play. Sony also advertised heavily, and its online model had the support of Electronic Arts ( EA ) ; EA did not offer online Xbox titles until 2004. Although Sony and Nintendo both started out late, and although both followed a decentralized model of online gaming where the responsibility is up to the developer to provide the servers, Sony 's moves made online gaming a major selling point of the PS2. In September 2004, in time for the launch of Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas, Sony revealed a newer, slimmer PS2. In preparation for the launch of the new models ( SCPH - 700xx - 9000x ), Sony stopped making the older models ( SCPH - 3000x - 500xx ) to let the distribution channel empty its stock of the units. After an apparent manufacturing issue -- Sony reportedly underestimated demand -- caused some initial slowdown in producing the new unit caused in part by shortages between the time the old units were cleared out and the new units were ready. The issue was compounded in Britain when a Russian oil tanker became stuck in the Suez Canal, blocking a ship from China carrying PS2s bound for the UK. During one week in November, British sales totalled 6,000 units -- compared to 70,000 units a few weeks prior. There were shortages in more than 1,700 stores in North America on the day before Christmas. Hardware Main article : PlayStation 2 technical specifications This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2015 ) PlayStation 2 software is distributed on CD - ROM and DVD - ROM. In addition the console can play audio CDs and DVD movies, and is backwards compatible with PlayStation games. The PS2 also supports PlayStation memory cards and controllers, although original PlayStation memory cards only work with original PlayStation games and the controllers may not support all functions ( such as analog buttons ) for PS2 games. The standard PlayStation 2 memory card has an 8 MB capacity. There are a variety of non-Sony manufactured memory cards available for the PlayStation 2, allowing for a memory capacity larger than the standard 8 MB. The console also features USB and IEEE 1394 ( Firewire ) expansion ports. A hard disk drive can be installed in an expansion bay on the back of the console, and is required to play certain games, notably the popular Final Fantasy XI. This is only available on certain models. The hardware uses the Emotion Engine CPU, a custom - designed processor based on the MIPS architecture with a floating point performance of 6.2 GFLOPS, and the custom - designed Graphics Synthesizer GPU, with a fillrate of 2.4 gigapixels / second, capable of rendering up to 75 million polygons per second. When accounting for features such as lighting, texture mapping, artificial intelligence, and game physics, it has a real - world performance of 3 million to 16 million polygons per second. Audio / video The PlayStation 2 may natively output video resolutions on SDTV and HDTV from 480i to 480p while other games, such as Gran Turismo 4 and Tourist Trophy are known to support up - scaled 1080i resolution using any of the following standards : composite video ( 480i ), S - Video ( 480i ), RGB ( 480i / p ), VGA ( for progressive scan games and PS2 Linux only ), YP P component video ( which display most original PlayStation games in their native 240p mode which most HDTV sets do not support ), and D - Terminal. Cables are available for all of these signal types ; these cables also output analog stereo audio. Additionally, an RF modulator is available for the system to connect to older TVs. Digital ( S / PDIF ) audio may also be output by the console via its TOSLINK connector which outputs 5.1 channel sound. Retail configurations Main article : PlayStation 2 retail configurations The PS2 's controller, the DualShock 2, had the same form factor as the PlayStation DualShock. The PS2 has undergone many revisions, some only of internal construction and others involving substantial external changes. The PS2 is primarily differentiated between models featuring the original `` fat '' case design and `` slimline '' models, which were introduced at the end of 2004. In 2010, the Sony Bravia KDL - 22PX300 was made available to consumers. It was a 22 '' HD - Ready television which incorporated a built - in PlayStation 2. The PS2 standard color is matte black. Several variations in color were produced in different quantities and regions, including ceramic white, light yellow, metallic blue ( aqua ), metallic silver, navy ( star blue ), opaque blue ( astral blue ), opaque black ( midnight black ), pearl white, sakura purple, satin gold, satin silver, snow white, super red, transparent blue ( ocean blue ), and also Limited Edition color Pink, which was distributed in some regions such as Oceania, and parts of Asia. In September 2004, Sony unveiled its third major hardware revision. Available in late October 2004, it was smaller, thinner, and quieter than the original versions and included a built - in Ethernet port ( in some markets it also had an integrated modem ). Due to its thinner profile, it did not contain the 3.5 '' expansion bay and therefore did not support the internal hard disk drive. It also lacked an internal power supply until a later revision ( excluding the Japan version ), similar to the GameCube, and had a modified Multitap expansion. The removal of the expansion bay was criticized as a limitation due to the existence of titles such as Final Fantasy XI, which required the use of the HDD. Sony also manufactured a consumer device called the PSX that can be used as a digital video recorder and DVD burner in addition to playing PS2 games. The device was released in Japan on December 13, 2003, and was the first Sony product to include the XrossMediaBar interface. It did not sell well in the Japanese market and was not released anywhere else. Disc read error ( dre ) lawsuit A class action lawsuit was filed against Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. on July 16, 2002, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo. The lawsuit addresses consumer reports of inappropriate `` no disc error '' ( disc read error ) messages and other problems associated with playing DVDs and CDs on the PlayStation 2. Sony settled its `` disc read error '' lawsuit by compensating the affected customers with USD $25, a free game from a specified list, and the reduced cost repair or replacement ( at SCEA 's discretion ) of the damaged system. This settlement was subject to the courts ' approval, and hearings began in the US and Canada on April 28, 2006, and May 11, 2006, respectively. Games See also : List of PlayStation 2 games, List of best - selling PlayStation 2 video games, List of PlayStation games incompatible with PlayStation 2, and List of PlayStation 2 games with HD support PlayStation 2 software is distributed on CD - ROM and DVD - ROM ; the two formats are differentiated by the color of their discs ' bottoms, with CD - ROMs being blue and DVD - ROMs being silver. The PlayStation 2 offered some particularly high - profile exclusive games. Most main entries in the Grand Theft Auto, Final Fantasy, and Metal Gear Solid series were released exclusively for the console. Several prolific series got their start on the PlayStation 2, including God of War, Ratchet & Clank, Jak and Daxter, Devil May Cry, and Kingdom Hearts. Grand Theft Auto : San Andreas was the best - selling game on the console. Game releases peaked in 2004, but declined with the release of the PlayStation 3 in 2006. The last new game for the console in Asia is Final Fantasy XI : Seekers of Adoulin, in North America and Europe is Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, and in South America is FIFA 14. As of 30 June 2007, a total of 10,035 software titles have been released worldwide ( counting games released in multiple regions as separate titles ). Online functionality Main article : PlayStation 2 online functionality See also : List of PlayStation 2 online games PlayStation 2 users had the option to play select games over the Internet, using a broadband Internet connection and a PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor. Instead of having a unified, subscription - based online service like Xbox Live as competitor Microsoft later chose for its Xbox console, online multiplayer functionality on the PlayStation 2 was the responsibility of the game publisher and ran on third - party servers. Most recent PlayStation 2 online games have been developed to exclusively support broadband Internet access. Xbox Live similarly requires a broadband Internet connection. Reception Sales Main article : PlayStation 2 sales The PlayStation 2 has sold over 150 million units worldwide as of March 31, 2012. In Europe, it has sold 48 million units as of May 6, 2008, according to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, while in North America, it has sold 50 million units as of December 2008. In Japan, the PS2 has sold 21,454,325 units as of October 1, 2008, according to Famitsu / Enterbrain. In 2005, the PlayStation 2 became the fastest game console to reach 100 million units shipped, accomplishing the feat within 5 years and 9 months from its launch. Accessories Main article : PlayStation 2 accessories The EyeToy -- a motion detecting camera The PlayStation 2 's DualShock 2 controller is largely identical to the PlayStation 's DualShock, with the same basic functionality. However, it includes analog pressure sensitivity on the face, shoulder and D - pad buttons, replacing the digital buttons of the original. ( These buttons would later become digital again with the release of the DualShock 4. ) Like its predecessor, the DualShock 2 controller has force feedback, or `` vibration '' functionality. It is lighter and includes two more levels of vibration. The PlayStation 2 DVD remote control General The PlayStation 2 memory card Optional hardware includes additional DualShock or DualShock 2 controllers, a PS2 DVD remote control, an internal or external hard disk drive ( HDD ), a network adapter, horizontal and vertical stands, PlayStation or PS2 memory cards, the multitap for PlayStation or PS2, a USB motion camera ( EyeToy ), a USB keyboard and mouse, and a headset. The original PS2 multitap ( SCPH - 10090 ) can not be plugged into the newer slim models, as the multitap connects to the memory card slot as well as the controller slot and the memory card slot on the slimline is shallower. New slim - design multitaps ( SCPH - 70120 ) were manufactured for these models, however third - party adapters also exist to permit original multitaps to be used. Early versions of the PS2 could be networked via an i. LINK port, though this had little game support and was dropped. Some third party manufacturers have created devices that allow disabled people to access the PS2 through ordinary switches, etc. Some third - party companies, such as JoyTech, have produced LCD monitor and speaker attachments for the PS2, which attach to the back of the console. These allow users to play games without access to a television as long as there is access to mains electricity or a similar power source. These screens can fold down onto the PS2 in a similar fashion to laptop screens. Music SingStar microphones There are many accessories for musical games, such as dance pads for Dance Dance Revolution, In the Groove, and Pump It Up titles and High School Musical 3 : Senior Year Dance. Konami microphones for use with the Karaoke Revolution games, dual microphones ( sold with and used exclusively for SingStar games ), various `` guitar '' controllers ( for the Guitar Freaks series and Guitar Hero series ), the drum set controller ( sold in a box set ( or by itself ) with a `` guitar '' controller and a USB microphone ( for use with Rock Band and Guitar Hero series, World Tour and newer ), and a taiko drum controller for Taiko : Drum Master. Controllers Specialized controllers include light guns ( GunCon ), fishing rod and reel controllers, a Dragon Quest VIII `` slime '' controller, a Final Fantasy X-2 `` Tiny Bee '' dual pistol controller, an Onimusha 3 katana controller, and a Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller. Mouse and keyboard Unlike the PlayStation, which requires the use of an official Sony PlayStation Mouse to play mouse - compatible games, the few PS2 games with mouse support work with a standard USB mouse as well as a USB trackball. In addition, some of these games also support the usage of a USB keyboard for text input, game control ( in lieu of a DualShock or DualShock 2 gamepad, in tandem with a USB mouse ), or both. Homebrew development Main article : PlayStation 2 homebrew Using homebrew programs, it is possible to play various audio and video file formats on a PS2. Homebrew programs can also be used to play patched backups of original PS2 DVD games on unmodified consoles, and to install retail discs to an installed hard drive on older models. Homebrew emulators of older computer and gaming systems have been developed for the PS2. Sony released a Linux - based operating system, Linux for PlayStation 2, for the PS2 in a package that also includes a keyboard, mouse, Ethernet adapter and HDD. In Europe and Australia, the PS2 comes with a free Yabasic interpreter on the bundled demo disc. This allows users to create simple programs for the PS2. A port of the NetBSD project and BlackRhino GNU / Linux, an alternative Debian - based distribution, are also available for the PS2. 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PlayStation Sony Interactive Entertainment SIE Worldwide Studios Consoles Home consoles PlayStation Models Main hardware PlayStation 2 Models Main hardware PlayStation 3 Models Main hardware System software PlayStation 4 Main hardware System software Handhelds PlayStation Portable System software PlayStation Vita System software Miscellaneous PocketStation PSX PlayStation TV Games PS1 games A -- L M -- Z Best - selling PS one Classics NA PAL JP PS2 games Best - selling Online games HD games PS2 Classics for PS3 PS2 games for PS4 PS3 games Best - selling Physical Digital only 3D games PS Move games PS4 games Best - selling PSVR PSP games Physical and digital System software compatibilities PS Minis Other PS Now games PS Vita games A -- L M -- Z PS Mobile games TurboGrafx - 16 Classics NEOGEO Station Classics HD Instant Game Collection NA PAL Asia Japan China Reprints Greatest Hits Essentials The Best BigHit Series Network PlayStation Network 2011 outage Central Station FirstPlay PlayStation App PlayStation Blog PlayStation Home PlayStation Mobile PlayStation Music PlayStation Now PlayStation Store PlayStation Video PlayStation Vue PS2 online Room for PSP VidZone Accessories Controllers PlayStation Controller PlayStation Mouse Analog Joystick Dual Analog DualShock Sixaxis PlayStation Move Cameras EyeToy Go ! Cam PlayStation Eye PlayStation Camera Miscellaneous Multitap Link Cable PS2 accessories PS2 Headset PS3 accessories PlayTV Wonderbook PlayStation VR Kits Net Yaroze PS2 Linux GScube OtherOS Zego Media Magazines Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine PlayStation : The Official Magazine PlayStation Official Magazine -- UK PlayStation Official Magazine -- Australia PlayStation Underground Advertisements Double Life Mountain PlayStation marketing Characters Toro Polygon Man Kevin Butler Marcus Rivers Arcade boards Namco System 11 System 12 System 10 System 246 System 357 Related Super NES CD - ROM Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Category Portal Sony Founders Masaru Ibuka Akio Morita Key personnel Kaz Hirai ( Chairman ) Kenichiro Yoshida ( President and CEO ) Primary businesses Sony Corporation Sony Interactive Entertainment PlayStation Sony Mobile Sony Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment Sony / ATV Music Publishing Sony Financial Holdings Sony Life Sony Bank Technologies and brands α ( Alpha ) Betacam Bionz Blu - ray BRAVIA CD Cell Cyber-shot Dash Dream Machine DVD Exmor FeliCa Handycam HDCAM / HDCAM - SR LocationFree Memory Stick MiniDisc MiniDV mylo PlayStation Reader S / PDIF SDDS SXRD Sony Tablet Tunnel diode TransferJet UMD Vaio Video8 / Hi8 / Digital8 Walkman Walkman Phones XDCAM Xperia HMZ - T1 Historical products AIBO CV - 2000 DAT Betamax Sony CLIÉ Discman Jumbotron Lissa Mavica NEWS Sony Optiarc Qualia Rolly TR - 55 Trinitron 1 inch Type C ( BVH series ) U-matic Watchman WEGA Electronics Sony Electronics ( US subsidiary ) Sony Energy Devices Sony Creative Software FeliCa Networks ( 57 % ) Sony Interactive Entertainment Key personnel Andrew House Shawn Layden Shuhei Yoshida Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios Franchises Ape Escape Aquanaut 's Holiday Arc the Lad Boku no Natsuyasumi Buzz ! 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Twisted Metal Uncharted Until Dawn Vib - Ribbon Warhawk White Knight Chronicles Wipeout Wonderbook Divisions Bend Studio Foster City Studio Japan Studio London Studio San Diego Studio Santa Monica Studio Subsidiaries Guerrilla Games Team Gravity Media Molecule Naughty Dog PixelOpus Polyphony Digital Sucker Punch Productions Former subsidiaries 989 Studios Bigbig Studios Contrail Evolution Studios Guerrilla Cambridge Incognito Entertainment Psygnosis Team Ico Team Soho Zipper Interactive PlayStation Sony Interactive Entertainment SIE Worldwide Studios Consoles Home consoles PlayStation Models Main hardware PlayStation 2 Models Main hardware PlayStation 3 Models Main hardware System software PlayStation 4 Main hardware System software Handhelds PlayStation Portable System software PlayStation Vita System software Miscellaneous PocketStation PSX PlayStation TV Games PS1 games A -- L M -- Z Best - selling PS one Classics NA PAL JP PS2 games Best - selling Online games HD games PS2 Classics for PS3 PS2 games for PS4 PS3 games Best - selling Physical Digital only 3D games PS Move games PS4 games Best - selling PSVR PSP games Physical and digital System software compatibilities PS Minis Other PS Now games PS Vita games A -- L M -- Z PS Mobile games TurboGrafx - 16 Classics NEOGEO Station Classics HD Instant Game Collection NA PAL Asia Japan China Reprints Greatest Hits Essentials The Best BigHit Series Network PlayStation Network 2011 outage Central Station FirstPlay PlayStation App PlayStation Blog PlayStation Home PlayStation Mobile PlayStation Music PlayStation Now PlayStation Store PlayStation Video PlayStation Vue PS2 online Room for PSP VidZone Accessories Controllers PlayStation Controller PlayStation Mouse Analog Joystick Dual Analog DualShock Sixaxis PlayStation Move Cameras EyeToy Go ! Cam PlayStation Eye PlayStation Camera Miscellaneous Multitap Link Cable PS2 accessories PS2 Headset PS3 accessories PlayTV Wonderbook PlayStation VR Kits Net Yaroze PS2 Linux GScube OtherOS Zego Media Magazines Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine PlayStation : The Official Magazine PlayStation Official Magazine -- UK PlayStation Official Magazine -- Australia PlayStation Underground Advertisements Double Life Mountain PlayStation marketing Characters Toro Polygon Man Kevin Butler Marcus Rivers Arcade boards Namco System 11 System 12 System 10 System 246 System 357 Related Super NES CD - ROM Sony Ericsson Xperia Play Category Portal Other Gaikai SN Systems Cellius ( 49 % ) Dimps Category Portal Sony Music Entertainment Key personnel Rob Stringer Kevin Kelleher Flagship Columbia Records RCA Records Epic Records Arista Records Sony Music Nashville Columbia Nashville Arista Nashville RCA Records Nashville Provident Label Group Sony Masterworks Sony Classical Records Portrait Records RCA Red Seal Records Okeh Records Sony Music Entertainment Japan Epic Records Japan Ki / oon Music Sony Music Entertainment Japan Ariola Japan BMG Japan mora Sacra Music Aniplex Aniplex of America A-1 Pictures CloverWorks Music On ! TV Peanuts Worldwide ( 39 % ) Distribution The Orchard IODA RED Distribution Red Essential Other Labels RCA Inspiration Phonogenic Records Ultra Music Century Media Records Legacy Recordings Black Butter Records Kemosabe Records Robbins Entertainment Syco Music ( 50 % ) Sony Music Australia Sony Music UK Sony Music India Sony Music Latin Vevo Volcano Entertainment Sony Pictures Entertainment Key personnel Tony Vinciquerra Thomas Rothman Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Columbia Pictures TriStar Pictures TriStar Productions Screen Gems Sony Pictures Classics Sony Pictures Releasing Sony Pictures Imageworks Sony Pictures Animation Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Destination Films Stage 6 Films Affirm Films Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Sony Wonder Sony Pictures Television U.S. production Adelaide Productions Sony Crackle The Minisode Network Culver Entertainment Embassy Row TriStar Television U.S. distribution Funimation ( 95 % ) International production 2waytraffic Left Bank Pictures Playmaker Media Stellify Media Teleset TV channels & VOD Sony Pictures Television TV channels and VOD platforms = online VOD platform Americas US networks Sony Movie Channel GSN ( 58 % joint venture with AT&T Entertainment Group ) getTV Cine Sony Sony Crackle Defunct 3net ( joint venture with Discovery and IMAX ) Fearnet ( joint venture with Comcast and Lions Gate Entertainment ) Canada Sony Movie Channel and AXN Movies ( rebranded ) Latin America Canal Sony AXN Defunct Animax Locomotion Sony Spin Asia Indian sub-continent Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt. Ltd. Hindi entertainment SET International Sony Sab Sony Max Sony Max 2 Sony Pal Sony Wah English entertainment AXN Sony Le Plex Sony Pix Bengali entertainment Sony Aath Sports Sony Six Sony ESPN ( 50 % ; Joint venture with ESPN Inc. ) Sony Ten Sony Ten 1 Sony Ten 2 Sony Ten 3 Sony Ten Golf Acquisition pending TEN Sports Pakistan TEN Cricket International Music Sony Mix Sony Rox Other channels Sony BBC Earth ( 50 % ; Joint venture with BBC Studios ) Sony Yay Other businesses Sony LIV ( Online VOD platform ) Japan Animax Animax Plus AXN AXN Mystery AXN Plus Star Channel ( 25 % joint venture with News Corporation, Tohokushinsha Film, and Itochu ) South Korea Animax ( 50 % joint venture with KT SkyLife ) Animax Plus AXN ( 50 % joint venture with IHQ ) Taiwan AXN Animax Animax HD south - east Asia Animax AXN Gem south - east Asia ( 50 % joint venture with Nippon Television Network Corporation ) Vietnam Sony Channel Sony One Defunct AXN Beyond BeTV Europe, Middle East, Africa ( EMEA ) Germany Animax AXN Sony Channel Defunct Animax ( linear television ) Italy Cine Sony Pop Defunct AXN AXN Sci Fi The Netherlands Film1 Film1 Action Film1 Drama Film1 Family Film1 Premiere Defunct Film1 Festival Film1 Sundance Portugal AXN AXN Black AXN White Defunct Animax Russia Sony Channel Sony Turbo Sony Sci - Fi Spain AXN AXN Sync AXN White Defunct Animax Turkey Sony Channel Sony Çocuk Planet Mutfak Planet Türk UK & Ireland Television channels in the United Kingdom and Ireland operated by Sony Pictures Television Including CSC Media Group television channels Entertainment channels Movies4Men Sony Crime Channel Sony Crime Channel 2 Sony Movie Channel truTV CSC True Entertainment True Movies Music channels CSC Chart Show TV Chart Show Hits Scuzz Starz TV The Vault Children 's channels CSC Pop Pop Max Tiny Pop Former channels More Than Movies Movies4Men 2 Sony Channel CSC The Amp AnimeCentral Bliss BuzMuzik Chart Shop TV Flaunt Flava MinX NME TV Pop Girl Pop Plus Showcase TV True Crime True Drama True Movies 2 Miscellaneous Sony Pictures Television animaxtv.co.uk ( VOD ) Baltics Sony Channel Sony Turbo Central and Eastern Europe ( CEE ) AXN Adria Hungary AXN Now AXN Black AXN Spin AXN White Sony Max Sony Movie Channel Viasat Hungary Viasat 3 Viasat 6 Defunct Animax AXN Crime Middle East AXN Middle East Arabic English Defunct AXN Israel Africa Sony Channel Sony MAX True Movies Defunct Animax Other Sony Pictures Digital Sony Pictures Mobile Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan Sony Pictures Family Entertainment Group Sony Pictures Studios Madison Gate Records Defunct Columbia Pictures Television Columbia TriStar Television Merv Griffin Enterprises ELP Communications Online distribution platforms PlayStation Network ( PlayStation Music PlayStation Now PlayStation Store PlayStation Video PlayStation Plus PlayStation Vue ) The Minisode Network Sony Crackle Sony Liv Other businesses Sony DADC Sony Network Communications Sony Professional Solutions M3 ( 39.4 % ) Sony / ATV Music Publishing EMI Music Publishing ( 19 % ) Vaio ( 4.9 % ) Other assets Sony Corporation of America ( umbrella company in the US ) Other subsidiaries List of acquisitions Nonprofit organizations Sony Institute of Higher Education Shohoku College Other History of Sony Sony Toshiba IBM Center of Competence for the Cell Processor Video game consoles ( sixth generation ) Types Home video game console list Handheld game console list Microconsole list Dedicated console list Generations First ( 1972 -- 80 ) Second ( 1976 -- 92 ) Third ( 1983 -- 2003 ) Fourth ( 1987 -- 2004 ) Fifth ( 1993 -- 2005 ) Sixth ( 1998 -- 2013 ) Seventh ( 2005 -- 17 ) Eighth ( 2012 -- present ) Sixth generation Home DISCover Dreamcast GameCube Panasonic Q Nuon PlayStation 2 V. Smile Xbox Handheld Game Boy Advance family Game Boy Advance Advance SP Micro GP32 N - Gage QD Neo Geo Pocket Color Tapwave Zodiac Dedicated Pocket Dream Console ← Fifth generation Seventh generation → Emulator Game History List Manufacturer Home video game consoles Atari Atari 2600 Atari 5200 Atari 7800 Atari XEGS Atari Jaguar Atari VCS Bandai Super Vision 8000 Arcadia RX - 78 Playdia Apple Bandai Pippin Casio PV - 1000 Casio Loopy Commodore Commodore 64 Games System Commodore CDTV Amiga CD32 Mattel Intellivision HyperScan Microsoft Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One NEC TurboGrafx - 16 PC - FX Nintendo NES SNES N64 GameCube Wii Wii U Switch Philips Magnavox Odyssey Odyssey2 Videopac + G7400 Philips CD - i Sega SG - 1000 Master System Sega Genesis Sega Saturn Dreamcast SNK Neo Geo Neo Geo CD Sony PlayStation PlayStation 2 PSX PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 VTech VTech CreatiVision Socrates V. Smile V. Flash Others 1970s APF - MP1000 Bally Astrocade Fairchild Channel F RCA Studio II Interton VC 4000 / 1292 Advanced Programmable Video System 1980s Action Max Arcadia 2001 ColecoVision Epoch Cassette Vision Super Cassette Vision RDI Halcyon Vectrex View - Master Interactive Vision 1990s 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Amstrad GX4000 CPS Changer FM Towns Marty LaserActive Super A'Can 2000s DISCover EVO Smart Console Game Wave Nuon Xavix Zeebo List GND : 4619543 - 9 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=PlayStation_2&oldid=857038388 '' Categories : PlayStation 2 PlayStation ( brand ) Home video game consoles Backward - compatible video game consoles Sixth - generation video game consoles Sony consoles 2000s in video gaming 2000s toys 2010s toys 2000 in video gaming Computer - related introductions in 2000 Products introduced in 2000 Products and services discontinued in 2013 Discontinued products Hidden categories : CS1 uses Japanese - language script ( ja ) CS1 Japanese - language sources ( ja ) Use mdy dates from March 2017 All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from October 2010 Articles with unsourced statements from December 2008 Articles needing additional references from July 2015 All articles needing additional references All articles with vague or ambiguous time Vague or ambiguous time from May 2012 Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Alemannisch Asturianu Azərbaycanca Български Bosanski Brezhoneg Català Čeština Cymraeg Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית ქართული Kiswahili Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar Македонски مصرى Bahasa Melayu မြန်မာဘာသာ Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk پنجابی Polski Português Română Runa Simi Русский Scots Simple English Slovenčina Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska தமிழ் ไทย Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt 吴语 粵語 中文 54 more Edit links This page was last edited on 29 August 2018, at 04 : 49 ( UTC ). 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Question: what feature led to the most sales for the playstation 2
Answer: backwards compatibility