LogFAQs > #922274291

PS2's design was certainly a mixed bag, it's strengths and weaknesses were like min/maxing to an extreme. PS2's biggest technical issue was a lack of memory. Specifically for video. A 4MB buffer forced developers to sacrifice too much, too often. It's also what wouldn't allow it to hold a 1920x1080 picture, forcing Polyphony to stretch a lower resolution image to the desired output in Gran Turismo 4 and Tourist Trophy.

I think Sony just severely underestimated the speed at which HDTVs were going to begin saturating the market. Can't really fault them too hard, at the time people were still rocking TVs bought in the 70s. That, and Sony likely still wanted to continue pushing their Trinitron brand. Not even 10 years after the PS2 launched, kids were looking at CRTs like some ancient Second Age relic.