Download PCSX2: PlayStation 2 Emulator for Windows & Linux & Mac

PCSX2 is the most widely used open-source PlayStation 2 emulator. It runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, is free and is updated often. It lets you play PS2 games on your computer at higher resolution, with your own controller and quick saves. On this page you will find the link to the official site to download it, the requirements and a quick setup guide.

Requirements to use PCSX2

According to the project's official documentation, these are the minimum requirements:

• A recent Windows 10, macOS 11 or Ubuntu 22.04 or another Linux distribution.
• A 64-bit processor with SSE4.1 and two physical cores.
• A graphics card supporting Vulkan 1.1, Direct3D 11 or OpenGL 3.3.
• 8 GB of RAM.
• A PS2 BIOS dumped from your own console and your own copies of the games.

For higher resolutions, the project recommends a processor with AVX2, four or more cores, a stronger GPU and 16 GB of RAM.

How to install PCSX2 step by step

1. Download the latest stable version from the official site, pcsx2.net, with the button on this page.
2. Extract it into its own folder, outside protected folders such as Program Files.
3. Open the program. The first time, a setup wizard appears.
4. Point it to the folder where you keep your BIOS and choose the one that matches your console's region.
5. Add the folder with your games to the emulator's list and open a game with a double click.

Recommended settings

• Graphics: try Vulkan or Direct3D 11. If a game has problems, switch to the other.
• Internal resolution: start at 2x. If your machine has headroom, go higher. If it is struggling, drop to native.
• Controller: use automatic mapping in the controller settings.
• Widescreen: many games have widescreen patches enabled in each game's properties.

Common problems

• It cannot find the BIOS: check the folder selected in the BIOS settings and that the files are complete.
• Black screen: try the other renderer and check that the game file is not damaged.
• It runs slowly: lower the internal resolution and close other programs.

There are more fixes in our guide to common PCSX2 problems, and the full steps in the guide to installing and setting up PCSX2.

Games to try

See our selection of the best PS2 games or browse the PS2 ROMs section. GigaROM does not host files: use only copies of games you legally own and read our safety guide first.