Even with thousands, potentially millions of people waiting for their own Playstation 3, Playstation 2 fanatics may not be as enthusiastic as we wave goodbye to an era. I remember when I purchased my Playstation 2. I was not one of those trendy or wealthy kids that got the system the day it came out. I got my hands on the system almost a year in to its existence. I've gamed harder on that system than any other, and those that have used it quite regularly will agree that it is arguably the best system of its time. It is the total package, while dominating many categories. With Playstation 3 out, Playstation 2 will slowly phase out, but no one will forget its incredible journey.

The Playstation 2 definitely had a strong run, considering its modest roots. Even though the outlook was grim in the early stages, the Playstation 2 gave the original Playstation a kick in the ass and also something for Sony to build off of. The release of the Playstation 2 was one giant debacle (at least in the states), and it didn't help that those conniving bastards at Sega were

concocting the Sega Dreamcast; a system that was said to revolutionize every facet of console gaming. The Playstation 2 became available in Japan on March 4th, 2000 where it sold 900,000 units in its first weekend alone. The release overseas was a lot smoother than the one over in the United States. On Oct. 26th, only a very limited amount of people could get their hands on the system after the first half-year (hmmm...sounds like a look in to the crystal ball over the next year with the PS3). Nevertheless, things were straightened out; the Playstation 2 has shipped 111.25 million units worldwide along with 8,181 video game titles to date. The all-time top selling title is Grand Turismo 3: A-Spec. Then, there was the Dreamcast...well, I guess this is just a lesson learned in the art of longevity. Don't buy in to the hype. Buy in to the actual thing.

So, what sort of milestones transformed the Playstation 2 into a system that could barely churn out a decent number of systems upon release, to one of the best systems on the market to date? The system trucked along at a decent pace, fueled by quality titles with a genuinely pleasant gaming experience. Sony properly adjusted with the times. When 2002 hit, Sony saw that the Playstation 2 was getting stale, and instead of folding their tent up and looking forward to the next system, they got with the times and made the adjustment to fit with the latest craze: online gaming. In 2002, Sony introduced their online adapter which ignited a newfound passion for the system along with selling a boatload more consoles: some late models which came with the adapter as standard. Teamed with the adapter was the release of various online-oriented titles, SOCOM being one of the top titles. The adoption of the latest hardware created a community feel around the system as well as it combated the onslaught of the Xbox which was quickly becoming known for its online gaming. Suddenly, even games like Madden NFL were being played on the net, adding to the fun factor of each game.