Why were countries afraid of the PlayStation 2 and why did Japan ban its sale in some countries, including two Arab countries?
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console in history, and it could have sold more, but Japan banned its sale to some countries, for military reasons. History has proven him right.
The PlayStation 2 console is one of the most legendary consoles in history. It has some strange stories, which were considered a legend, but it is not. Nearly 25 years ago, it sparked a rumor that Japan banned its sale in some countries, because it was afraid that its chips would be used in military weapons.
The PlayStation 2 console was launched in March 2000, and was a real evolutionary leap over the PS1. Its graphics processor, which Sony called the "Emotion Engine", actually delivered graphics far superior to the previous generation, and any other console.
The PS2 made a huge impact by being backwards compatible with PS1 games, something that is now mandatory. It was also key to expanding the use of DVDs, as the PS4 did with Blu-ray Discs. But its power went beyond video games: the PS2 could be used as a deadly weapon.
- PlayStation 2 is banned in countries militarily hostile to Japan.
Now PlayStation 2 consoles are essentially closed computers, less powerful than today's leading graphics chips in PCs. But 25 years ago, things were very different.
Sony knew how to sell the power of the PlayStation 2, creating an aura of a processor so powerful that it could be dangerous if used for military purposes.
The processor was capable of processing 3D images or performing ballistic calculations at high speed, so it had applications in controlling drones or targeting cameras with missiles or cannons.
Japan took the matter seriously, as it banned the sale of the PlayStation 2 console in several countries, such as Iraq, Iran, Libya, and North Korea.
More symbolic than anything else, with a black market. This has been proven with Russia: despite sanctions, its missiles carry technology from several Western countries.
Ironically, the PlayStation 2 console was eventually used for military purposes... in the United States. In 2002, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) used 60 to 70 PlayStation 2s to create a "supercomputer" to investigate quantum chromodynamics.
In 2010, the US Department of Defense used 1,763 PlayStation 3 consoles to create a supercomputer it called Condor. With 500 teraflops of power, it was the military's most advanced. It was praised for its low cost and high energy efficiency.
With 160 million units, the PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console in history. But it could have sold even more had Japan not banned its sale in Iraq, Iran, Libya and North Korea, to prevent them from turning it into a military weapon.