The PS2 was great, but...
... I still have a grudge with Sony for its underhanded marketing tactics. Intentional stock shortfalls (they still do that crap today). Also, convincing retailers to just... stop showcasing the Dreamcast...
Basically it killed the Dreamcast so we've got problems.
The Dreamcast is my favorite console ever. Played it at a friend home since the JP release and got in on EU release (was 7 times more expensive on JP version, I couldn't afford it). Soulcalibur, Virtua Fighter 3tb, Code Veronica, Zombie Revenge, Crazy Taxi, Eternal Arcadia, Grandia 2, Sonic Adventures, Chu Chu Rocket, Space Channel 5... I love this machine.
That said I have always been in a total disagreement with people complaining about "Sony killed the Dreamcast", it's SO stupid that I can't even believe that people say this without trolling.
When Sony arrived in the consoles market they were in a position where YES, they could force retails shop to sign some deals like "pssst, for our PlayStation if you don't give us three times more shelf space than the competition, we no longer deliver our new products, our TVs, hi-fi, you will be served last, and not at the best price", OF COURSE THEY DID IT. It's a business, not a charity. If you have a product on the market, that you can use some relationships that you have established with key players in this field, that'd be ABSOLUTELY DUMB to not use those ressources.
The Dreamcast failed because yes everybody wanted a PS2, it's what I've seen around me at that time, EVERYBODY wanted a PS2. And why they wanted a PS2 ? BECAUSE THE PS1 WAS AWESOME. Awesome series of games that got gamers hooked immedtiately, just to name a few :
- Metal Gear Solid
- Final Fantasy VII/VIII/IX
- Xenogears
- Chrono Cross
- Tekken
- Soul Edge
- Ridge Racer
- Resident Evil
- Silent Hill
- Tomb Raider
- Crash Bandicoot
- Spyro
- Klonoa
- Suikoden
- Wild Arms
- Tony Hawk
- Vagrant Story
- Wipeout
- Oddworld
- Medievil
- Gran Turismo
SO YES people from every place in the world, wanted a PS2, the PS1 revolutionized gaming. So I'd like people to remember that THIS is the main reason why the PS2 succeeded, because it was the "sequel" of the most biggest revolution in gaming history, with games for all tastes, that gamers knew they'll see the sequels on the PS2. Everybody wanted MGS2, FFX, Silent Hill 2, the next Resident Evil or Tomb Raider, Gran Turismo...
Also SEGA was SHIT at marketing, they knew nothing about it and it wasn't new, they were also bad at that with the Saturn. They also didn't have infinite budget, the Dreamcast was like their "final fantasy", if it worked good, if it failed they had to exit the console manufacturers business. Nobody around me knew what was the Dreamcast and the few who knews, the hardcore gamers, they had budget for 1 console only (and it's still like this those days, even hardcore gamers play on 1 machine and a Switch), they knew they would have all the games they want on the PS2.
Ah and again about those "they created the desire among players by deliberately creating shortages"... I was working in video game stores at that time and believe me, the desire was already there a year before the console was released. These rumors are completely ridiculous.