PlayStation 2 online functionality
Sony Computer Entertainment | |
Launch date | JP: July 2001 NA: August 27, 2002 EU: June 2003 |
---|---|
Discontinued | August 2012 (developer support) March 2016 (third party support) |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
Status | Defunct (active only via fan-made servers and DNAS workarounds) |
Website | [1] (US) |
Selected games on
The service was launched in July 2001 in Japan, August 2002 in North America, cable or through the same router network.
Instead of having a unified online service like
The last official online server, which was for
Adapter
For the original models (non-Slim) of the PlayStation 2 console, a network adapter was needed to play online and use a hard drive. All versions of the Network Adaptor provide an Ethernet port, while some North American versions also featured a phone-line port for dial-up connection. The newer slimline versions, however, have an Ethernet port (and in some early North American models, a phone-line port) built into them, making the Network Adaptor unnecessary and hard drive use nearly impossible, as well as ruling out any need to keep the network adapter in production.
Playing online games requires that users set up the system's network connection configuration, which is saved to a memory card. This can be done with the Network Startup Disc that came with the network adapter or using one of the many games that had the utility built into them, such as Resident Evil Outbreak, to set up the network settings. The new slimline PlayStation 2 came with a disc in the box by default. The last version of the disk was Network Startup Disc 5.0, which was included with the newer SCPH-90004 model released in 2009.
As of December 31, 2012, the servers for most games have all since been shut down.[citation needed]
Games
Released in 2001 Capcom vs. SNK 2 was the first ever video game to offer cross-platform play between two competing video game consoles, followed in 2002 by Final Fantasy XI which allowed connections between the Playstation 2 and personal computers.[4] SOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs, released in August of the same year, was one of the first video games that allowed voice chat on a console.
Compatibility
PAL games that supported online gaming display a WITH NET PLAY logo on their cover. North American games feature an "Online" icon in the lower right corner of the cover; on games that do not support dial-up connectivity, "broadband only" is also found on the logo.
LAN tunneling
Over time, most game servers have been shut down. However, computer programs such as XBSlink, SVDL and XLink Kai allow users to achieve online play for some PS2 games by using a network configuration that simulates a worldwide LAN.
See also
References
- ^ "Sony confirms PS2 online plans". theregister.co.uk. August 15, 2002. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
- ^ Hermida, Alfred (June 13, 2003). "Taking the PlayStation online". BBC News. Retrieved September 25, 2012.
- ^ "URGENT! DNAS SHUTDOWN – PS2 Online Gaming". ps2onlinegaming.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ^ "Square Enix U.S.A. announces details for Final Fantasy XI". Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved August 11, 2003.