Wed, Nov 24, 2010 | 11:08 GMT
PlayStation 2 turns 10 in Europe
Gran Turismo isn’t the only Sony legend we’re remembering today.
PlayStation 2 celebrates its tenth European birthday today, having launched in Europe on Friday, November 24, 2000.
Japan celebrated the machine’s tenth anniversary in March, with the US following suit last month.
The PS2 era played host to sequels of Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid and more, but the console was best noted for the evolution of Grand Theft Auto with GTA III.
Two more games in the series – Vice City in 2002 and San Andreas in 2004 – were timed PS2 exclusives, the latter being the biggest-selling game on the platform with just under 20 million units sold as of February last year.
PS2′s slim form-factor released in 2004.
Ten years on the platform is still alive, with both games and hardware bundles still releasing. Those David Lynch ads clearly worked.
God bless you, you multi-coloured marvel. Never die.
18 
Posted in: Hot, PS2, Sony
Tags: The 3rd Place
18 comments
#1
Blerk
24/11/10, 11:11 am
What a machine! Happy birthday, PS2!
I might fire mine up tonight as a tribute. Wonder what I’ve got kicking around to play?
#2
onlineatron
24/11/10, 11:13 am
You bastard Cullen… Why would you link me to that ad?!
I have to try and sleep now with that, that, that DUCK stuck in my head.
Can you imagine those adverts in today’s Wii-tinged market? The PS3 would probably drop behind OnLive in terms of sales… shame
#3
G1GAHURTZ
24/11/10, 11:22 am
I didn’t play my PS2 anywhere near as much as I played my PS1.
In the PS2 days, I also had a GameCube and an Xbox. I played the GameCube the most (Mario, Zelda, FIFA, etc), then the Xbox (Halo, FIFA, etc), then PS2 (FIFA, 007, Gran Turismo, etc).
It was the other way around with my PS1, which although I spent many hours on GoldenEye and Zelda, I still played more than my N64.
#4
Isuru86
24/11/10, 11:38 am
@3
You Sir, have no life.
#5
Johnny Cullen
24/11/10, 11:46 am
@2 –
Quite frankly, it was the console that made me want to be who I am.
Metal Gear Solid 3, Zone of the Enders 2, Burnout 3, Kingdom Hearts and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City were the defining moments.
Happy birthday, PS2. We love you.
#6
Michael O’Connor
24/11/10, 11:48 am
Rest in peace, PS2. You were a true legend.
#7
G1GAHURTZ
24/11/10, 11:51 am
@4:
No, no, no…
I’m the coolest kid in town!
#8
cookiejar
24/11/10, 11:57 am
Still my favourite all time console. So much fun.
Remember unboxing mine one Christmas, with GT3 bundled in. Didn’t see me all day
Good times.
#9
DaMan
24/11/10, 12:02 pm
both two of my PS2s ‘re resting in peace anyway, or more like in pieces. thanks for the incredible dvd-rom, Sony. maybe you should’ve not ditched the cartridges.
#10
KAP
24/11/10, 12:11 pm
Yea for real. My best gaming days so far has been with my PS2.. SOTC,
ICO,
Brave Fencer Musashi,
FFVII onwards were the best days i think.
#11
Quiiick
24/11/10, 12:42 pm
… I will never forget when I first played the demo for Metal Gear Solid. That was a truly defining moment. I was at the age of 39 back then and realized that console-gaming will from now on be a fundamental part of my life.
#12
Razor
24/11/10, 1:05 pm
I still play my launch PS2. Thing still sounds like a jet machine.
I keep saying I’ll get a PS2 slim one of these days…
#13
M2Kx
24/11/10, 1:19 pm
DC > this
#14
Hunam
24/11/10, 1:35 pm
PS2 > All other consoles.
#15
DaMan
24/11/10, 1:40 pm
NES > PSX > MD >= SNES > N64 > PS2
#16
cookiejar
24/11/10, 1:47 pm
PS2 > Oxygen.
#17
DaMan
24/11/10, 1:51 pm
4chan >Oxygen > vg247
#18
Gadzooks!
24/11/10, 4:02 pm
I did enjoy my PS2 a lot, mostly for GT3 and SSX Tricky.
It got relegated to the attic once the Xbox was released, but I still have my PS2 and bust it out occasionally. Ah, fond memories of what Sony used to be.