Name: PlayStation 2
Brand: Sony Interactive Entertainment (formerly Sony Computer Entertainment)

03

Overview

A home console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2000, powered by the Emotion Engine CPU and Graphics Synthesizer. It could also play DVD-Video and was backward compatible with original PlayStation software.

Name in Japan: プレイステーション2
Name in North America: PlayStation 2
Name in Europe: PlayStation 2

04

Industrial Design

Industrial design

Designed by Teiyu Goto, who chose black to represent 'the infinity of the universe'; the console can stand vertically or lie horizontally.

05

Technical Specifications

Technical specifications

CPU: Emotion Engine @ 294.912 MHz
Memory: RAM 32 MB / VRAM 4 MB (eDRAM)
Graphics: Graphics Synthesizer @ 147.456 MHz
Generation (Wikipedia): 6th generation

Values are from the sources below. Where sources differ, see the notes under Sources.

06

Controller

Shipped with the DualShock 2 controller.

07

Media Format

Media format

DVD-ROM
CD-ROM

CD-ROM
Optical discs sharing the audio CD format, used for data. Sources describe the PC Engine's CD-ROM² (1988) as the first use of CD-ROM as a home console game medium.
DVD-ROM
The primary software medium of the PlayStation 2, which could also play DVD films.

08

Launch & Context

Launch & historical context

Release (Japan): 4 Mar 2000[1]
Release (North America): 26 Oct 2000[1]
Release (Europe): 24 Nov 2000[1]
Release (Australia): 30 Nov 2000[1]
Launch price (Japan): ¥39,800[2]
Units: 160 million+(shipped / sell-in · worldwide · 2012-03-31)[3]

Launched in Japan on March 4, 2000, when all one million launch units sold out over the first weekend. Its DVD playback is credited with helping drive down DVD player prices.

09

Notable Games

Notable games

10

Gallery

PlayStation 2 (SCPH-30001) with DualShock 2
DualShock 2

11

Timeline

12

Related Consoles

Related consoles

About Sony Interactive Entertainment (formerly Sony Computer Entertainment) →

13

Sources

[1]
PlayStation 2
Wikipedia (EN)
ReferenceAccessed 2026-09-26
[2]
PlayStation 2
Wikipedia (JA)
ReferenceAccessed 2026-09-26
[3]
ビジネスデータ（ハードウェア全世界累計販売台数（セルイン））
Sony Interactive Entertainment
ManufacturerAccessed 2026-09-26

Notes on conflicting sources

unitsSold per SIE sell-in figure. GS clock: EN 150 MHz, JA 147.456 MHz (JA used). Model number (SCPH-10000) not verified — omitted. bits omitted. JA notes Good Design Award 2000 and 2024 registration as 重要科学技術史資料 (not included in captions; could be added).

14

Image Credits

Image credits

PlayStation 2 (SCPH-30001) with DualShock 2
PlayStation 2 (SCPH-30001) with DualShock 2 controller
PhotoEvan-Amos
Wikimedia Commons·Public domain
DualShock 2
DualShock 2 controller
PhotoEvan-Amos
Wikimedia Commons·Public domain

PlayStation 2