PlayStation 2 or PS2 is the second in the Sony PlayStation series of video games consoles

The second instalment in the Sony PlayStation series, the PlayStation 2 (PS2) was a video games console made by Sony Computer Entertainment and was Sony contribution to the sixth generation of video games consoles, completing directly with the Xbox from Microsoft, the GameCube from Nintendo and the Dreamcast. It went on to be easily the most successful video games console of its generation and with over 150 million units sold worldwide continues to be the best-selling video games console in history, an indicator of its success being that production of the PS2 continued until 2013 (having started in 2000). In its life span and beyond more than 3,870 game titles were released for PS2, with combined sells of all of these titles totalling over 1.5 billion. Part of its wild and widespread success can be put down to the inclusion of a built in DVD player which helped to position the PS2 a home theatre product as well as gaming console. They also temporarily acquired exclusive rights for games from the Grand Theft Auto series and Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, both of which went on to be hugely successful and help Sony and PlayStation move to the forefront of the video games console market.