The Modern Console Era · 2000–2013

Sony PlayStation 2

PS2

CompanySony Computer Entertainment

Lifespan2000–2013 (13 years — the longest official production run of any home console)

LibraryOver 3,800 games, the largest library of any console ever made

Sought After?

Rising steadily as the generation ages into true "retro" status; rare late-life titles are becoming pricey.

Downsides

The disc drive laser is a known failure point on original "fat" models as they age; DVD playback (a major selling point at launch) now looks unremarkable.

Why It Faded

A graceful retirement after an extraordinary 13-year run and over 155 million units sold — still the best-selling console of all time.

Trivia

The PS2 was so widely used as a cheap DVD player at launch that its gaming credentials were almost secondary to some buyers — a major reason it outsold every rival that generation.