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Sony took the industry by storm with their maiden console. The PlayStation routed its more established competition – Nintendo’s N64 and the Sega Saturn – to become the unquestioned king of the home console. The fledgling machine would shift north of 100 million units worldwide and became a byword for home console gaming, featuring a number of high profile exclusives from Final Fantasy to Gran Turismo.

The PlayStation was so good that I, a devout SEGA gamer, decided to sell my Saturn and games just so I could join the swelling ranks of PlayStation owners. As much as I’d love to still have my original Saturn and games, I can’t say I regret selling it. I quickly came to appreciate the benefits of the PS, and my console of choice has remained PlayStation brand ever since.

With the astounding success of the PS1, expectations were sky-high for Sony’s encore. The PS2 was first announced in March 1999, at a time when the PS1 was still going strong; a year that saw the arrival of Silent Hill, Final Fantasy VIII and Medal of Honour in the west. Talk of the Emotion Engine, the powerful CPU which would power next generation graphics, would both impress and confuse. Tech demos, including a much discussed recreation of the famous FFVIII dance scene, looked suitably impressive but did little to shed light on how games would run on the new console.

Japan would be first in line for the next generation hardware. Arriving on 4th March 2000, crowds flocked to electronic stores and it became one of the first truly momentous console launches. This turnout was due to a number of factors, including consumer loyalty and aggressive advertising by Sony, but it certainly wasn’t a result of the software line-up: an uninspired collection of launch games, most of which would be forgotten within a few months. Fears that many consumers were buying a PS2 solely as an affordable DVD player were well founded, as demand for the console far outweighed that of software. However, a steady stream of well received games would soon put an end to such concerns.

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Even without a killer app, the PS2 sold like hot cakes. Sony were unable to keep up with demand, resulting in country wide shortages that would be repeatedduring the subsequent NA and EU launches. Thanks to the hype, backwards compatibility and DVD support, Sony shifted just shy of a million units within a day of launch – a figure they would have eclipsed two or even threefold had they not struggled with production.

Customers from all over the world camped out for the chance to get a PS2, but many left empty handed. One individual, who had been lucky enough to secure one of the first, committed suicide by leaping off the top of a building in Tokyo’s gaming centre, Akihabara, after thieves relieved him of his precious console only moments after buying it.

Many PS2 consoles found their way onto online auction sites, with units going for as much as $1000 at their peak. Stores tried to combat this by enforcing a one PS2 per customer rule, and even the Japanese government took a keen interest in the number being shipped abroad by industrious shoppers. The Japanese Ministry of Trade were so troubled by the power of the PS2 that they limited multiple exports, citing military concerns. They believed, and Sony did little to refute the theory, that its powerful hardware could be used as part of a missile guidance system. It seems quite ridiculous now, but ten years ago the prospect of North Korea firing off missiles between sessions of Tekken Tag was a very real concern.

Despite substantial losses for Sony on each unit sold, hardware malfunctions and a limited software line-up, the PS2 was still a runaway success. Sony would carry the momentum into a Western launch that was every bit as eventful as the Japanese. Debuting in early winter 2000, demand would again far outweigh supply as there were only half a million units available for the US launch and significantly less in the UK. Despite these shortfalls, the early success of the PS2 still managed to scupper SEGA’s hopes of keeping the rival Dreamcast afloat, as it was officially discontinued in early 2001.


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Much like in Japan, early PS2 titles were a mixed bunch. However, a few quality stand-outs such as Timesplitters, SSX and Tekken Tag Tournament hinted at future possibilities. Developers would continue to squeeze more and more out of the PS2 as they began to familiarize themselves with the new tech. In direct comparison to the launch games, some of the final marquee titles such as God of War 2 look like the product of another generation entirely.

The PS2 would go on to eclipse the success of the PS1. The Dreamcast was quickly bested and the Gamecube offered relatively little resistance. However, the early success of the Xbox hinted at a future rivalry and caused Sony to rethink their stance on online connectivity and multiplayer; a modem would be introduced a couple of years later, though Sony wouldn’t fully commit to online gaming until the PS3.

The PS2 is the most successful console of all time, shipping 150 million units as of January 2011. Still selling after eleven years, it features thousands of titles including classics such as Final Fantasy X, Metal Gear Solid 3, GTA 3, God of War, ICO and many more. Its credentials are beyond impressive, strengthening the PlayStation brand and dominating the market for several years. Who knows, it may even have launched a couple of missiles in its time.

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Great article

Yeah that was a good read, almost shed a tear for the Dreamcast though, it died far too young

Yeah it did, I still have mine under the bed.

no mention of the 2000$+ ebay auctions in dec of 2000, shortages and so on, but good read

Wow.... takes ya back. I had forgotten about that Christmas shortage that we in the US had. I remember all of those guys selling their PS2's on ebay for outrageous prices. Think I remember one going for $2000+!