emulator: PCSX2
type: standalone
core_classification: official_port
bios_mode: agnostic
source: "https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2"
upstream: "https://github.com/PCSX2/pcsx2"
cores:
  - pcsx2
  - "pcsx2-sa"
profiled_date: "2026-03-30"
source_commit: "f0523f8acb1d3a765ee73b74cffec63093569199"
core_version: "v2.9.146-1-gf0523f8"
version_basis:
  kind: tag
  tag: "v2.9.146"
  distance: 1
display_name: "Sony - PlayStation 2 (PCSX2)"
systems: [sony-playstation-2]

notes: |
  Filename-agnostic BIOS detection. Scans bios/ for any file between 4-8 MB
  with valid romdir structure (RESET + ROMVER entries). No hash validation.
  Companion files (.rom1, .rom2, .nvm, .mec) derive their names from the selected BIOS.
  ROM1 (DVD player) and ROM2 (Chinese extension) silently skipped if missing.
  NVM and MEC auto-created with defaults if missing.

files:
  - name: ps2-0230a-20080220.bin
    found_by: content
    aliases: [ps2-0250j-20100415.bin, SCPH-70004_BIOS_V12_EUR_200.BIN]
    required: true
    min_size: 4194304
    max_size: 8388608
    validation: [size, romdir]
    romdir:
      reset_compare: 10
      missing_reset: ends_walk
      terminated_names: true
      extinfo: true
      unreadable_romver: ends_walk
      truncated_walk: ends_walk
    source_ref: "pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp:16-17,80-197,258-283,317-370"
    note: "Accepts any file 4-8 MB with valid romdir (RESET + ROMVER). Naming convention ps2-VVVVr-YYYYMMDD.bin (version, region, date)."

  - name: ps3_ps2_emu_bios.bin
    found_by: content
    required: false
    size: 4194304
    sha1: "2dc921be6eb8d17e276cd4bbfde86343452073e0"
    md5: "ca27dd917b4be56a229dd1fabb0c07da"
    source_ref: "pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp:16-17,80-197,258-283,317-370"
    note: >
      ROMVER 0220JD20121227, the PS2 BIOS the PS3's ps2_emu carries. Cut from
      dev_flash/ps2emu/ps2_emu.self of PS3 system software 4.90, decrypted by
      RPCS3, from 0x12F bytes before "compatible mode" to 0x262 bytes after
      "Parity error" and padded to 4 MiB, as firmware_bios_claim release 2
      does. Accepted like any image with a valid romdir.

  - name: ps2-0230a-20080220.rom1
    aliases: [SCPH-70004_BIOS_V12_EUR_200.ROM1]
    required: false
    max_size: 4194304
    description: "DVD player ROM"
    note: "Tried as {bios}.rom1 then {biosbase}.rom1. Each name is first checked with stat, so on a case-sensitive filesystem only the lowercase extension is found, then opened case-insensitively. Copied to the ROM1 region. Logged and skipped when absent."
    source_ref: "pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp:214-241, pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp:366, common/FileSystem.cpp:1145-1152, common/FileSystem.cpp:2312-2320"

  - name: ps2-0230a-20080220.rom2
    aliases: [SCPH-70004_BIOS_V12_EUR_200.ROM2]
    required: false
    max_size: 4194304
    description: "Chinese ROM extension"
    note: "Same two-step naming as rom1. Only Chinese region consoles carry one."
    source_ref: "pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp:214-241, pcsx2/ps2/BiosTools.cpp:367"

  - name: ps2-0230a-20080220.nvm
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 1024
    description: "Console NVRAM"
    note: "Read at the BIOS path with the extension replaced by nvm, opened case-insensitively. Built in memory from region defaults when absent or blank."
    source_ref: "pcsx2/CDVD/CDVD.cpp:165-189"

  - name: ps2-0230a-20080220.mec
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 4
    description: "Mechacon version"
    note: "Read at the BIOS path with the extension replaced by mec. Defaults to 0x00020603 and is written back when it cannot be read."
    source_ref: "pcsx2/CDVD/CDVD.cpp:190-204"

  - name: eeprom.dat
    load_from: working_directory
    required: false
    hle_fallback: true
    size: 64
    source_ref: "pcsx2/DEV9/DEV9.cpp:110-160"
    note: "DEV9 network adapter EEPROM. Falls back to built-in defaults if missing."

  - name: GameIndex.yaml
    path: resources/GameIndex.yaml
    required: false
    bundled: true
    sha1: 5e2d50a3376dc6a0750505bec68626d39a5bd4c1
    size: 2683897
    category: game_data
    description: "per-title compatibility and fix database"
    source_ref: "pcsx2/GameDatabase.cpp:39, pcsx2/GameDatabase.cpp:1034-1043"
    note: "Read from the resources directory shipped with the application. Console error and no per-title fixes if missing."

  - name: RedumpDatabase.yaml
    path: resources/RedumpDatabase.yaml
    required: false
    bundled: true
    sha1: bf2c73d668cd671df8adfe2ec3c7074e8ba9176a
    size: 1917242
    category: game_data
    description: "disc hash database"
    source_ref: "pcsx2/GameDatabase.cpp:1141, pcsx2/GameDatabase.cpp:1196-1205"
    note: "Read from the resources directory shipped with the application, used to name a disc from its dump."

  - name: patches.zip
    path: resources/patches.zip
    required: false
    bundled: true
    category: game_data
    description: "built-in game patch archive"
    source_ref: "pcsx2/Patch.cpp:117, pcsx2/Patch.cpp:289-318"
    note: "Opened read only from the resources directory shipped with the application and searched for the pnach matching the running serial and CRC. Widescreen and no-interlacing patches live inside it."