The most successful console of all times. Facts about the PS2 that you might not have heard before.
- READING TIME: 5 min
- Updated on 23.11.2021 – 17:43 – Published: 24.06.2021 – 17:20
- in Game Guides, Games, Playstation
The most important in a nutshell
- Unique design of the PS2 was a "success factor".
- PlayStation 2 design was based on an Atari console
- The most successful video game home console of all time
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) From Sony is and remains one of the greatest video game consoles of all time. So far it is also the one that has sold the most. Under no other console there was such a density of high-profile titles, as at that time. We have brought you some interesting Facts about the PlayStation 2 summarized.
Take a trip back in time with us. In this article we show facts of the PS2 Some things you might not have known yet.
The design was unique
Blue logo on black console, the PS2. – (C) Sony Interactive Entertainment
The design of the PS2 was quite unique for its time. The Dreamcast, the Nintendo 64 or even the original PlayStation were all very specially shaped. But the PS2 was different. It was more functional: either you put it horizontally or set it up vertically. Nothing special today?
For those times it was a revolution.
The secret function of the PlayStation logo on the PS2
The PlayStation 2’s secret feature was revealed via the official PlayStation Twitter account in 2020. It turns out that the PS2 logo can actually be turned sideways with just a simple flick of the wrist. While some gamers knew about the feature, it certainly wasn’t widespread knowledge.
Did you know you could turn the PlayStation logo on the PS2? pic.twitter.com/cAl8POu8NA
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) March 4, 2020
So the logo could always be right. No matter if you put the PS2 down or set it up.
The design of the PS2 was based on an Atari prototype
However, the iconic design of the Sony console did not come from the company itself. The Falcon030 Microbox, a prototype for Atari-console, served as a template for the PlayStation 2. Both have a very similar design and also structure. Back then, however, Atari opted for a different design, the Atari Jaguar.
The color scheme of the console, i.e. the black console with the blue logo of the PS2, Is supposed to represent the earth surrounded by space.
There are even buildings that look like PlayStation 2 From Sony look:
The white towers
Do you remember the white towers that appeared when booting the PS2 on the screen were? They were really only there for one reason. Each of these white towers represented a single backup file on the memory card.
The more saved files you had for all games on your memory card, the more white towers you see.
It was that simple.
When 1TB of storage is no longer enough…
1TB is not enough on your PlayStation 4? Ridiculous! The PlayStation 2 didn’t have any internal storage, but there were memory cards for it. These were for the PS2 From Sony rare and with the 8MB memory cards you didn’t hop far either. This caused some problems, at least in the beginning.
Four thousand PS2 games!
GTA: San Andreas was the best-selling game for the PS2 (18.14 million copies).) – (C) Rockstar Games, Take Two
About the multitude of PlayStation 2-Library you have to talk about. At least there were wonderful exclusive titles, many are still considered masterpieces today. We also have to mention the amazing number of software sold for the PlayStation 2: 1.5 billion.
The last video game, which was released for the PS2 was published, by the way Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, one week before the launch of the PS4. At that time PS2 already 13 years old. There is only one console that is older and is still supplied with games today: The SEGA Dreamcast. There were some gaming gems for the Sega console that would still deserve a remaster today. Some of these games are included in our collection "30 video games of the 2000s that you must have played.
Multimedia above all.
Used as a DVD player for many. – (C) Sony Interactive Entertainment
One reason why PS2 from Sony in many households was not only the abundant software offer, or the great graphics at the time, but also the fact that you could play DVD’s with the console. Back then there were no streams and you didn’t want too many devices underneath your TV either. Therefore for many an alternative to the usual DVD player.
In 2006, you could already look forward to PlayStation 2 NETFLIX streaming, but for now only in Brazil. Fact is we have the year 2019 and the Nintendo Switch still can’t.
PlayStation 2 as a Linux computer
PS2 reuse as Linux computer. Here is the set. – (C) Sony Interactive Entertainment
One of the big surprises of the PlayStation 2-Time was the possibility to use the console as a Linux computer. For this, the Linux operating system was released on a CD together with a mouse, keyboard, a 40GB hard disk and a VGA and Ethernet adapter in a set.
More about the PlayStation 2 (PS2)
Get even more PlayStation Guide articles here on DailyGame. Continue with the PS3 facts you didn’t know yet. By the way, the PlayStation 5 won’t be a PS3 or a PS2-play games. It is not backwards compatible with these consoles.