20 years ago, Sony released the PlayStation 2, the world's best-selling video game console.

It may be hard for many to believe, but the PlayStation 2 is 20 years old - the console that turned millions of people into gamers forever. For a lot of people, the PlayStation 2 was the first DVD player—it was just about the cheapest way to get one and justify buying a new gaming console at the same time.

Sony released the successor to its original PlayStation in Japan on March 4, 2000, although players in other regions had to wait over seven additional months. The console boasted improved graphics, backwards compatibility with original PS games, and the ability to play DVDs.

The system received its own processor Emotion Engine with a frequency of 294 MHz, graphics accelerator Graphics Synthesizer @ 147 MHz and 4 MB of DRAM-video memory. The father of the PlayStation 2 is considered to be Ken Kutaragi, who led the team that developed and launched both the original PlayStation in 1994 and the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and PlayStation 3.

During the life cycle of the PlayStation 2, which lasted almost 13 years, Sony sold 157,68 million of these units (according to the Guinness Book of Records) is more than even the Nintendo DS (154,9 million) and Game Boy (118,69 million). By comparison, the PS1 sold 104,25 million units and the PS3 sold 86,9 million, making it the best-selling game console of all time.

PlayStation 2 received a huge library of 4,5 thousand of a wide variety of games. Looking back at the released projects, it is impossible to single out one that could become an unambiguous symbol of this platform. However, many famous series got their start on PS2: God of War, Devil May Cry, and Ratchet & Clank. And Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas still holds the title of best-selling PS2 game. Other popular series include Gran Turismo, Burnout, Castlevania, Final Fantasy, Persona, Zone of Enders, Tekken, Soul Calibur, Madden, FIFA, and Rock Band.

On December 28, 2012, the PS2 was discontinued for Japan, and on January 4, 2013, Sony confirmed that the PS2 was discontinued for other international markets as well.

Incidentally, last year was Sony's 25th anniversary of the original PlayStation, which came out on December 3, 1994. SIE President published a congratulation on this occasion. And iFixit employees, specializing in dismantling and repairing equipment, celebrated this significant date dismantling the very first Japan-only model. Finally, for the New Year Sony presented a videodedicated to 25 years of PlayStation:

Source: 3dnews.ru