Sony's PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation gaming console released in 2000, and has since become the best-selling video game machine of all time. The 64-bit system maintains backward-compatibility with titles for the original PlayStation in hardware — the console's input/output controller is actually the original PlayStation's CPU. Inclusion of a DVD drive, lacking in the competing Dreamcast's hardware, is largely credited with the rise of the format's popularity. A 2004 redesign dropped the device's expansion bay and replaced the tray-loading DVD drive with a top-loader, reducing console size and weight. Unlike the Xbox with its integrated Ethernet jack, the PlayStation 2 requires an optional adapter for online access.

Landmark titles for the console include the games in the Grand Theft Auto, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy, Guitar Hero, and God of War franchises. With USB connectivity, the system supports a wide array of accessories, including Sony's EyeToy digital video camera, karaoke microphones, and headsets for online gaming. Sony released an official Linux distribution, leading to homebrew developers creating applications such as a media player supporting network streaming and emulators for older consoles.

The PS2 was superseded by the PlayStation 3 in 2006, but remains a popular console with titles still actively being released.