While the PCSX2 code is completely legal, Sony owns the code of the PS2 BIOS. It also touches on the one complicated part of setting up the emulator: the PS2 BIOS. Here’s a great guide that lays out the basics of configuring PCSX2 and its graphics settings without overloading you with information.
#LEGAL PS2 BIOS FOR PCSX2 HOW TO#
Mostly all you need to know to get started is how to configure the graphics settings and a gamepad. The official PCSX2 guide is a great resource, but filled with an intimidating amount of information you don’t really need to know if you’re just out to play games. Download PCSX2 here and follow a configuration guide to set it up. The rest of the process is pretty simple, honest (at least, unless something goes wrong). The great thing about PCSX2, though, and where it really differs from Dolphin, is that you can easily play your old copies of PlayStation 2 games by simply sticking the discs in your computer. Both are free and legal-none of the code in the emulators themselves belongs to Sony or Nintendo-and have improved enormously over years of development, thanks to passionate communities. If you’re an old hand at PC emulation, you’re likely as familiar with PS2 emulator PCSX2 as you are with GameCube/Wii emulator Dolphin. Even an aging or budget gaming rig should be able to handle 1080p emulation for most games, no problem. Sony’s new PS4 emulation can run these old games at 1080p, but on a decent gaming PC you can render them at even higher resolutions like 4K, downsampling them to the resolution of your monitor for a sharper, clearer picture. It’s compatible with about 95% of the PS2’s 2400+ game library. PCSX2 is an open source PlayStation 2 emulator project that’s been in development for more than a decade.