As Jim Ryan readies to leave his post at Sony Interactive Entertainment, the exec has revealed that the PlayStation 2 has sold 160 million units across the global. Despite being out of production, the console still managed to find itself with five million more sold units than last we heard in 2012.
During an episode of the PlayStation Podcast, Ryan was speaking with senior communication director Sid Shuman, senior communications specialist, and content communications manager Brett Elston when the discussion of the PlayStation in the 2000s, the most well-known of the PlayStation lineup — the PS2 — had its sales number discussed, where Ryan marks around 160 million units worldwide.
While some are skeptical about the number, we don’t really see a reason why Ryan would lie about the number. In the end, what we know is the PS2 continues to reign supreme in overall console sales.
What do you think? Do you still have your PS2? Let us know below!
Sony is reportedly working on a new PS2 emulator, but this is just a rumor, so take it with a grain of salt. If this is the case, it’s a step in the right direction, as the current emulator used for PS2 games on current hardware offers lackluster compatibility and performance.
Reputable PlayStation content creator Mystic, who often stays away from leaks, states in a recent YouTube video that he has it on “good authority” that the console maker’s working on a PS2 emulator, though it isn’t ready to be showcased just yet. Some hope this will be the catalyst of a PS3 emulator, but we wouldn’t hold our breath on that.
All we can really say is if any console maker would have a reason to do this, it would be Sony, considering it has its own games preservation department.
What do you think? Do you think Sony’s working on it? Let us know below!
It turns out Microsoft probably kicked themselves in the back for this one. During the latest episode of Power On: The Story of Xbox, it was revealed that Sony wasn’t the first console manufacturer Rockstar Games went to looking to release Grand Theft Auto III on. But, thanks to a series of unfortunate events for Microsoft, GTA 3 turned into a timed PS2 exclusive.
Initially, Rockstar tried to enter the Xbox arena when they opted to invest more into its franchise, which at the time was entirely 2D and top-down. Rockstar, however, was rejected thanks to newly appointed executives calling the shots. The execs apparently didn’t believe the franchise could make the transition from 2D to 3D and couldn’t wrap their heads’ around the user interface.
“These newly important executives in Xbox who would review all the pitches from publishers and developers, they said “I don’t think that game is going to be able to make the transition from 2D to 3D.” They felt that it was complicated, they didn’t really understand the user interface, they thought that it was based on a game that hadn’t been all that successful. To my surprise, it was rejected.”
After getting shot down by one of the major console makers at the time, they turned to Sony and reached an agreement, leading to GTA 3 acting as a timed exclusive when it launched in 2001. The franchise continues its immense success even to this day with the controversial, but still present recent Definitive Edition release, which compiled the three staples of early GTA, including its 3D debut.
The PlayStation 2, in addition to still reigning supreme as the best-selling gaming console of all time, is one of the most beloved platforms in history. With, arguably, the most dominant lineup of AAA platform-exclusive games ever, the PS2’s fanbase spreads far and wide, and includes several of our editors right here at PSXExtreme. In celebration of the console’s 20th anniversary earlier this week, the editors and contributors at PSXE decided to look back through time and reminisce about some of our favorite games from the PS2, and what they meant to us.
If you feel like we missed anything, which may certainly be the case given how many truly excellent games graced the PS2, please let us know in the comments!
Christopher D. Anderson (Managing Editor):
Silent Hill 2 and 3
Okay, I might be cheating a little on this one but the Silent Hill series is still my favorite series ever. Even if it does go a bit downhill in later games. And I won’t even get into Silent Hills. The first game blew me away and changed how I think about games and even horror in general. I’ve played them all however and Silent Hill 2 and 3 are some of the best games to date in my opinion. These games reign when it comes to atmosphere and very few games have been able to capture a similar feel.
Shadow of the Colossus
I missed Ico when it came out but I jumped right in with Shadow of the Colossus. I really liked the isolation spotted with epic battles against gigantic beasts. Great open land that begged to be explored and an amazing soundtrack rounded out an amazing experience. I always felt bad about taking the colossus down too. Defeating these giants was satisfying followed immediately by sadness and maybe even a bit of regret. Except that last one. That one was a jerk.
Devil May Cry 3
While I fell in love with this series because of the first game, it was the third one that really did it for me. I thought I was a Devil May Cry expert when I loaded up this game, only to be destroyed in the very first level. But I kept trying. And dying. And trying. And dying. Until I beat it and it was a very satisfying experience because of that. Dante’s attitude and the flashiness of the gameplay is icing on the cake. But the challenge was amazing.
God of War
Kratos is one angry dude. And maybe I was a little angry in my younger years as well. Set this big angry dude in a Greek setting that includes fighting the gods and monsters from ancient greek mythology and you have a formula for a truly epic game. The action was intense and satisfying and while fairly one dimensional, Kratos was a bit of an antihero. Which for me, at the time, was a novelty. The series has grown a lot since then with the latest offering in some surprising ways. I still pop this one in from time to time.
Beyond Good and Evil
This game was one of the first games I played that included a lot of heart. Interesting gameplay and awesome characters made this niche title one of my favorites. I spent a lot of hours taking pictures of hidden animals and exploring the world. This game also had excellent world building. Because of the special place in my heart (and many other gamers) this game has stuck itself firmly in my list of favorite PS2 games and even games in general.
Kingdom Hearts
We all know how awesome Kingdom Hearts is. The combination of Disney and Square Enix was a surprisingly satisfying experience. Lots of hours exploring and grinding through the story was just the beginning of a pretty wild ride that is this series. Being a great game aside, the main reason this is on my list is because of one particular battle. The secret battle with Sephiroth. This battle was a harrowing challenge and I just would not give up no matter how many times he beat me. To top things off when you finally do defeat him he doesn’t even die per say. He’s just like “Alright, that was fun. Laters.” And vanishes. It’s still one of my greatest gaming accomplishments though.
Ryan Hartmann (Senior Editor):
Soul Reaver 2
The Legacy of Kain is both one of my favorite franchises in gaming history, and one of the most disappointing. Always wonderfully written and directed, the franchise peaked once Amy Hennig (who would later go on to write and direct the first three Uncharted games) took the helm as lead writer and creative director, and Soul Reaver 2 was the apex of a series loaded with atmosphere and overflowing with ideas and unrealized potential. Sadly, 2003’s follow-up, Defiance, was mostly a disappointment that ended on something of a cliffhanger, and the state of the franchise’s licensing rights makes any future sequels or reboots highly unlikely, denying fans such as myself any reasonable expectation of closure any time soon.
Final Fantasy XII
I have an odd habit of absolutely hating games that I later come to consider among my favorite of all time, and it’s something that happens frequently enough that it’s not mere statistical noise when it happens. Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Mirror’s Edge, X-COM Enemy Unknown and many others fit this pattern, perhaps none more closely than Final Fantasy XII. A huge Final Fantasy fan at this point and eagerly awaiting a non-MMO follow up to the amazing Final Fantasy X, the macro-management and tactical focus of XII threw me so hard that I shelved the game after just 15 hours, content to never play it again. Eventually I was prodded into giving the game a second chance, and over the subsequent 15 years the game has become not only my favorite installment in Final Fantasy, but my favorite JRPG of all time. It’s still a shame that Square-Enix literally focus-tested Vaan and Penelo into the game, derailing what would have been a much better-balanced story following the original ensemble cast of Balthier, Fran, Basch and Ashe, but with a little patience and effort the game’s tactical nature truly begins to shine and creates a JRPG experience unlike anything else, except perhaps its inspirational cousin, Final Fantasy Tactics.
Resident Evil 4
I have a confession; I am one of “those people”. You know who I’m talking about, the ones who hated Resident Evil and relentlessly mocked the franchise’s absurd nature at every turn. The hamfisted tank controls, the ridiculously amateurish voice acting, sophomoric writing… it was all just a little too damn silly for me. At least, that is, until I played Resident Evil 4. With a revamped (but now still horrendously obsolete) movement system, greater focus on action and cinematic production values and a story that leaned into its absurd nature with subtle winks to the audience, RE4 was truly a rebirth for the franchise. Of course, that’s also why so many diehard, original fans hate it, but given its importance in the direction of the recent remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3, I’d have to argue that this game deserves the accolades it’s received over the years.
Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner
I will be the first to admit that I am a huge fan of Hideo Kojima, perhaps even to a point of irrationality, but that’s just the inevitable byproduct of the man delivering, over the course of 35 years, games that feel like they were custom-tailored for me. Zone of the Enders is the best possible example of this, as I’d always loved the style and allure of the huge mechs in Japanese media, but absolutely hated the clunky, slow, janky gameplay that accompanied most games in that genre. Suddenly, here is Kojima with the world’s first “High Speed Robot Action” game, one where these massive mechs were as fast as greased lightning, as devastatingly powerful as they were fun to pilot. While the first installment was little more than proof of concept (and a great way to push the demo for Metal Gear Solid 2, at the time the most anticipated game in history), Second Runner got a much more personal touch from Kojima, with a deeper story that played well with the anime trappings of the production values.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
It’s kind of weird to look back at all the criticism that Metal Gear Solid 2 received from dissenters upon its release in 2001, given that most of it centered around how ludicrous its plot was, how impossibly stupid it was to suggest that governments would try to control the masses with directed electronic information disinformation, spyware, privacy intrusions and, most laughable of all, the concept that we would ever turn over our nuclear arsenal to an artificial intelligence.
Except now, in 2020, the game looks downright prescient, given that our government has either announced, or been exposed for doing, all of these things. Yes, including trying to turn over our nuclear weapons programs to an AI.
More importantly, though, Metal Gear Solid 2 became the first truly killer exclusive app for the PS2, one that showcased all the horsepower the system could muster to create a game that, in terms of production quality, visual fidelity, and attention to detail, stood head and shoulders above the rest of the pack for years. A gorgeous game with flawless stealth action gameplay, and a story that feels more like a documentary than science fiction these days, but you know what my all-time favorite thing about this game was? Shooting buckets of ice and watching the water melt in real time:
Alex Moretti (Contributor):
Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelists Of The Roses
While most games in the Yu-Gi-Oh series are only aimed towards seasoned veterans, Duelists Of The Roses was a fun, unique spin-off title that re-imagined Yu-Gi-Oh’s cast as 16th-century icons who have recruited you to fight with them, either on the side of the Lancastrians or the Yorkists.
It was an incredibly fun strategy game with a lot of passion put into it. If only we got more unique games like this from Konami nowadays.
Monster Rancher 4
I remember this game for having a unique mechanic exclusive to the Playstation 2. This simulation game was all about raising monsters, and one of its features was letting you go to a shrine, swapping out the PS2 disc with an audio CD, and watching as a new monster is randomly generated from the said shrine. I spent hours testing out all sorts of different CDs just trying to get the best monsters.
It’s a shame that we haven’t gotten a new game in this series since 2010.
Persona 4
With over 300 hours on record, Persona 4 is my most played game on the PS2. The PS Vita version, Persona 4: Golden has also recently been ported to Steam. While not as dark as previous entries, this title helped establish Atlus as a prominent developer in the JRPG space.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid 3 was already a fantastic game. Subsistence added to it dozens of hours worth of bonus missions, and the debut of Metal Gear Online, giving gamers one of the best value propositions of all time. With a deep camouflage system and a unique health system that rewards patience and exploration, not to mention a narrative more laser-focused than previous entries but still every bit as emotionally powerful, there is just so much to love about this game.
Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
As a fan of both anime and space operas, this game offered everything I could want in a turn-based RPG. Epic Boss fights and set pieces, fantastic character introductions, and great setups with deserved payoffs. Over 80 hours of story, and over 130 hours for completionists, with so much extra content to unlock, the only real way to experience this game is to play it for yourself.
Tyler Harvey (Editor-in-Chief):
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
To say that I’m a GTA fan, or a fan of Rockstar in general, would be a pretty big understatement. Not only do I own every GTA ever made, I own multiple copies of them. And yet, despite having three copies of GTA 5, the one game I always find myself going back to is GTA San Andreas. I have such fond memories of SA, with my most memorable being a tad odd. I was sitting in front of my fathers 53″ plasma TV, when a commercial for San Andreas came on. Welcome To The Jungle blasted. It was such a magical moment. One I’ll never forget.
Guitar Hero
Oh boy, Guitar Hero. I know most people likely think of Guitar Hero, and imagine the PS3 or Xbox 360. And sure, it definitely reached its height on those consoles, but it all started on the PS2. That’s where I got my first taste of the plastic guitar. Shredding in the living room with friends. Trying to get the highest score possible. I’d usually win, of course.
This list could have gone on forever, and nearly did before editing began and we were forced to make some tough choices on what to include and what to leave out. So what games did we miss? Lots! Shout out in the comments and let us know what your favorite PS2 games were and why!
With the confirmed backwards compatibility of the PS5 with regards to the PS4, many felt the urge to question if it extended beyond that to previous consoles. Sadly, it doesn’t appear to be the case. During an interview with Famitsu (via Siliconera), PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan had some slightly disappointing, but understandable, news – it won’t have backwards compatibility with the PS3, PS2, or PS1.
It’s hard to tell exactly why they are opting out of this, but frankly, it isn’t too shocking. The PS4 had over 100 million users, so bringing that market onto the next generation wouldn’t be the most difficult thing if they could still play their favorite games on that console.
“We keep in mind the engineering specialized for the PS5, as we produced the device. In the midst of that, the PS4 already has 100 million players; we thought they ought to want to play PS4 titles on the PS5 as well indeed, so we included compatibility with the PS4. While implementing that, we also focused our efforts on taking in the high-speed SSD and the new controller DualSense at the same time. So, unfortunately, we couldn’t reach the implementation of such compatibilities.”
It might be worth noting that the PS4 and PS5 utilize a similar structure while the PS3 deviated from it and was notoriously difficult to develop for.
As one of the oldest gaming publications in the world, we’ve been responsible for playing a ton of absolutely horrible games. Stuff like World Championship Paintball, which holds the record for our worst reviewed game of all time, really makes playing video games for a living feel like a real job.
Thankfully not every game is bad, and while it may have taken us nearly twenty years, we’ve finally accumulated a total of ten perfectly scored games. That’s right, PSX Extreme has given out fewer 10’s than IGN. Not sure how to feel about that…
Below is every 10/10 game we’ve reviewed within the last 20 years, ranked in no particular order.
Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4)
Reviewer: Ryan Hartmann
Date Reviewed: October 26th, 2018 Full Review
Excerpt: “A game of unparalleled scope and ambition, with breathtaking visuals, a broad-ranging but intimate story, and an incredible sense of identity and purpose, Red Dead Redemption 2 will go down as one of the greatest games of the generation, and perhaps video game history.”
God of War (2018) (PS4)
Reviewer: Ryan Hartmann
Date Reviewed: April 23rd, 2018 Full Review
Excerpt: “This brutally violent mythological adventure was the last place I ever thought I’d find deep, meaningful ruminations on what it is to be a father, and the sacrifices involved. God of War is brilliant in ways I never thought games could be. That it’s also perhaps the most highly polished game I’ve ever played, with unsurpassed presentation and mechanics, is actually secondary to the fact that it generated in me the kind of childlike awe I haven’t experienced in decades. I have been writing about video games for almost 20 years now, and in all that time I have never given any game a perfect score. Until now.”
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4)
Reviewer: Ben Dutka
Date Reviewed: May 28th, 2016 Full Review
Excerpt: “I suppose some people are still hung up on the concept of a “perfect score.” Of course, it doesn’t mean “perfect” because no game is flawless. In this case, I suppose I could cite the ungodly precision of enemies with grenade launchers, or the fact that the camera can go just a tad loopy in certain parts. But I say a perfect score goes to the game that is, upon release, better than all the competition. If nothing on store shelves can compete, if you rack your brains and can’t think of a better game to come along in the past year or so, it deserves the maximum score. I also believe in the subjective aspect, in that if the game didn’t make an impact on a personal level, the critic shouldn’t hand out the 10. I’ve almost never done it because clearly, my requirements are steep. But here, I can’t imagine giving out anything less…Side note: Though, with 36 perfect scores counted so far according to Metacritic (more than 1/3 of all 102 counted reviews), I’m hardly the only one to come to this conclusion.”
JOURNEY (PS4)
Reviewer: Ben Dutka
Date Reviewed: July 24th, 2015 Full Review
Excerpt: “Anyway, Journey on PlayStation 4 is undoubtedly the definitive edition of an instant classic. It’s not drastically different and there really isn’t any new content, but the upgrades included in this package are noticeable and appreciated, and vault the production into the stratosphere.”
Final Fantasy XII (PS2)
Reviewer: Cavin Smith
Date Reviewed: November 27th, 2006 Full Review
Excerpt: “Deviations from past Final Fantasies may turn off some players, but this game is so classy, it’s like mouthwash for the nasty taste FFX/X-2 left in gamers’ mouths. It redeems a hallowed series which had begun to spiral into teeny-bopper, pop-idol-infested hell.”
The Last Of Us: Remastered (PS4)
Reviewer: Ben Dutka
Date Reviewed: August 1st, 2014 Full Review
Excerpt: “Saying The Last Of Us: Remastered is an absolute triumph seems redundant. I said it when the original released last year, after all. And yeah, it’s basically the same game with a glossier coating and a few additions. But consider: What have we seen in the last 15 months or so that even comes close? Seriously?”
Okami (PS2)
Reviewer: Cavin Smith
Date Reviewed: October 17th, 2006 Full Review
Excerpt: “Simply one of the best games of the generation and I’d even wager to put it up with some of the best of all time.”
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns Of The Patriots (PS3)
Reviewer: Arnold Katayev
Date Reviewed: June 14th, 2008 Full Review
Excerpt: “There is no doubt about it, but this is easily the best experience you’ll have on the PlayStation 3 to date, simply nothing comes close to MGS4’s presentation, story-telling, gameplay, visuals, and sound. The amount of classic homages paid to the previous games, with one in particular, will leave you breathless and, perhaps, emotional.”
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3)
Reviewer: Arnold Katayev
Date Reviewed: October 24th, 2011 Full Review
Excerpt: “All that can be remains to be said about Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception is that it both defies and defines everything a videogame is and should be. In that order.”
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (PS2)
Reviewer: Arnold Katayev
Date Reviewed: July 10th, 2001 Full Review
Excerpt: “YOU MUST GET GT3! Your life depends on it!”
So, what’s your favorite game of all time, huh? Let us know in the comments!
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