ps2
Latest
Ayn's Odin is the retro gaming handheld to beat
Retro gaming handhelds come in many shapes and sizes, but the Odin from newcomer Ayn might be the most impressive to date in terms of form, function and price.
The revamped PlayStation Plus should hit the US on June 13th
Sony plans to start the rollout in Asia on May 23rd.
Preservation effort unearths over 750 PlayStation 2 game prototypes
A preservation group has obtained over 750 PlayStation 2 game prototypes and demos, including 'God of War.'
PlayStation 2 can play homebrew games by using DVD player exploits
A software engineer has discovered that you can 'hack' the PlayStation 2 to play homebrew games by feeding it specially crafted DVDs.
The PlayStation 2 turns 20 and our readers have feelings
The PlayStation 2 came out in Japan 20 years ago today, with Sony selling 155 million units over a lifespan of almost 13 years. It's actually the best-selling console of all time, which means it's likely quite a few of you owned one and have strong feelings about it. Which is great, because the PS2 was released four years before Engadget even existed — we celebrated our 16th birthday this week — and we never gave Sony's second console generation the full review treatment. While you can check out my thoughts on the PlayStation 2 as a DVD player, for a deeper dive we're turning to the user reviews left on our PS2 product page. Between its long lifespan and impressive library of games, you had some interesting things to say.
My favorite PlayStation 2 game was DVDs
The PlayStation 2 was the first game console I ever bought. Heck, it was the first big ticket item I ever bought, period. That was a big deal at a time when I was only making $135 a week, and most of that cash was going toward college costs: tuition, textbooks and transportation. So I had to save up for months, while also finding a way to justify the high cost to myself (and my skeptical mother). The PS2 had one trump card in its deck, one thing that I could point at and say, "Look, it's not just a game machine, I didn't waste my money on such a single-use luxury!" It could play DVDs. It was in fact, my first DVD player.
How do you feel about the PlayStation 2 as it turns 20?
In a few short weeks, the PlayStation 2 will turn 20. It was released March 4, 2000 in Japan, with the rest of the world eventually getting their hands on it that fall. It was backward compatible with games for the original PlayStation, and also played DVDs. (Personally, it was the first video disc player I ever owned.) And of course, there were the games. Shadow of the Colossus, Kingdom Hearts, Katamari Damacy — plenty of classic titles and series got their start there, as well as new installments in famous franchises, like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Final Fantasy X. The system was ultimately in production for a whopping 13 years, with more than 4,000 games released in total and over 155 million consoles sold.
Naughty Dog is donating the money from its ‘Jak and Daxter’ reissues
Early this year, to celebrate its 35th anniversary, game developer Naughty Dog did a physical reissue of its classic PS2-era Jak and Daxter games for PlayStation 4. Fans apparently loved it. The collector's edition sold out in hours and the standard editions sold out in less than a week. Now, instead of pocketing the cash, Naughty Dog is donating all of the proceeds to a bunch of charities.
The PIS2 is a portable PS2 years in the making
The PlayStation 2 has been in the grave for over a decade, but that hasn't kept gamers from tinkering with Sony's iconic console. Reddit user darkwingmod has been working on and off for several years to perfect his vision of a portable PS2, the PIS2. The build features genuine PS2 hardware augmented with a Raspberry Pi 2, which loads game files over an ethernet-connected SMB server; no emulation is involved. Darkwingmod says that the games run close to full speed and FMVs play smoothly.
PS2 classic 'Onimusha: Warlords' will be remastered for modern platforms
Stop me if you've heard this before: One of Capcom's defining series during the PlayStation 2 era is getting remastered for modern hardware. No, it's not Resident Evil (again), this time it's Onimusha: Warlords. The port features widescreen display options, fixed camera angles, countless sword fights and remastered visuals throughout (characters, cinematics and environments, according to the PlayStation Blog). So, a bit of the new with the familiar.
Sony adds a slew of PS2 games to PlayStation Now
Sony's PlayStation Now hasn't been of much use for nostalgia trips unless most of your memories revolve around the PS3, but that's about to change: the first wave of PS2 titles is available through the game streaming service. They're not must-have blockbusters, but they're definitely titles you'll recognize, including Ape Escape 2, Dark Cloud 2 and Hot Shots Tennis. And importantly, these aren't straight content dumps -- each of these games plays in HD (no 4K, alas) with trophy support.
London’s best orchestra is putting on a PlayStation concert
PlayStation, Classic FM and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra are teaming up to bring new meaning to the term "gaming culture". This May, PlayStation in Concert comes to London's Royal Albert Hall, bringing to life music used in games from Original PlayStation, PS2, PS3 and PS4, performed by the 80-strong Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and City of London Choir. Expect the sweeping soundscapes of The Last of Us, The Last Guardian, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture and LittleBigPlanet, among others. And there will be a "spectacular" light show, too.
The original 'Red Dead' is on PlayStation 4
Sure, Xbox One owners have been able to play Red Dead Redemption since this summer, but Sony fans have been left out in the cold on PlayStation 4. Well, that's sort of changing. The game's progenitor, Red Dead Revolver, is the latest PlayStation 2 port from Rockstar Games to grace the PS4. But unlike past instances, you won't have to wait a week for the game to mosey over to the US PlayStation store from its European counterpart.
Sony brings PS2 classics 'Manhunt' and 'Bully' to the PS4
It was a big deal when Sony introduced PS2 backward-compatibility on the PlayStation 4 with the launch of Star Wars: Battlefront, but it's already old hat, apparently. With its latest PlayStation Store update, the company released Rockstar titles Bully and Manhunt without a lot of fanfare. As before, the games get "full 1080p up-rendering and enhanced features such as trophies, shareplay, remote play, activity feeds and second screen support for game manuals with 'PS Vita' or PS App." That means you'll get nearly the same experience as on a PS2, though Sony adds that "some features may not function properly."
Sony is adding PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility to the PS4
Sony and Electronic Arts have a Star Wars: Battlefront PlayStation 4 bundle available right now and with it comes a quartet of games from a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away (or at least as far as the PlayStation 2 era). Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter, Star Wars Racer: Revenge and Super Star Wars come with the bundle via a single download code, and all bar one appear to be the original PS2 games running in emulation. The discovery comes via the tech-minded folks over at Digital Foundry who spotted a number of clues suggesting backwards compatibility had finally arrived. The evidence is in the details. As DF noted, the sophomore console's select and start buttons have been mapped to either side of the DualShock 4's touchpad, something only Sony, rather than Lucasarts Interactive can do.
Smedley announces SOE is no more, becomes Daybreak Game Company
In a surprising move, CEO John Smedley just announced on Reddit that Sony Online Entertainment is leaving behind its Sony roots and becoming Daybreak Game Company after being acquired by the investment firm Columbus Nova. This change allows the company to publish online games on multiple gaming platforms, including the XBox. Smedley also assured players via Twitter that all of the games in the company's portfolio are staying and will continue to be a part of the new company. Here's the full announcement plastered on the official forums of each of the company's games: Dear Players, Partners and Friends, Today, we are pleased to announce that we have been acquired by Columbus Nova, an investment management firm well known for its success with its existing portfolio of technology, media and entertainment focused companies. This means that effective immediately SOE will operate as an independent game development studio where we will continue to focus on creating exceptional online games for players around the world, and now as a multi-platform gaming company. Yes, that means PlayStation and Xbox, mobile and more! As part of this transition, SOE will now become Daybreak Game Company. This name embodies who we are as an organization, and is a nod to the passion and dedication of our employees and players. It is also representative of our vision to approach each new day as an opportunity to move gaming forward. So what exactly does this mean for you? It will be business as usual and all SOE games will continue on their current path of development and operation. In fact, we expect to have even more resources available to us as a result of this acquisition. It also means new exciting developments for our existing IP and games as we can now fully embrace the multi-platform world we are living in. Our games and players are the heart and soul of our organization, and we are committed to maintaining our portfolio of online games and pushing the limits of where we can take online gaming together. Thank you for your continued support. See you in game! The Team at Daybreak
PlanetSide 2 smashes world record for biggest FPS battle
Those of you who turned out to help PlanetSide 2 set a world record this past Saturday now have the satisfaction of knowing that you're officially a part of gaming history. The Guinness World Records title for "Most Players Online in a Single FPS Battle" was set by the combined efforts of three factions and 1,158 players on January 24th in the game. The immense fight took place in a single instance and surpassed the previous record holder of Man vs. Machine, which reached only 999 players in 2012. The title will be included in the Gamer's Edition of the World Records. PlanetSide 2 Producer David Carey wanted to thank those who participated, adding that this put the title right back where it belonged: "PlanetSide held the original record for this achievement and we're thrilled to have officially taken it back with PlanetSide 2." [Source: SOE press release]
Nine questions for PlanetSide 2's PlayStation 4 closed beta
Today, PlanetSide 2 has taken another large step for gamerkind by embarking on the closed beta test for its PlayStation 4 version. To help clarify the process of bringing this sci-fi shooter to this console, we sat down with SOE Executive Producer Clint Worley and peppered him with nine eight vital questions. Massively: Can you go into some of the logistics of adapting PlanetSide 2 to the PlayStation 4? Clint Worley: PlanetSide 2 has its own identity, and it is important for us to stay true to that, even on the PS4. Our main focus has been on a redesigned user interface that makes navigation easier for players using the Dualshock 4 controller. Player customization, navigation, and organization are all critical elements that require intuitive controls. The team has done a few passes on the user interface, and now it is time to get it in front of the players. We are looking forward to getting player feedback and tuning the experience for the launch of the game.
PlanetSide 2 players planning world record attempt for Jan. 24
PlanetSide 2 players are trying to beat the Guinness world record for the largest number of gamers simultaneously in a single instance of an online FPS. That's kind of a mouthful, isn't it? In any event, organizers have taken to the PS2 forums and are planning to pull 1,100 players together on the Jaeger server on January 24th.