A free, open-source PlayStation 2 emulator for Mac, with native Apple Silicon support and most of the PS2 library considered playable.
Our take
Nearly 20 years of continuous development have taken PCSX2 from running a handful of tech demos to emulating the large majority of the PS2’s roughly 2,600-game library at full speed, including titles like Final Fantasy X. Custom resolutions and upscaling go well beyond the PS2’s original output, alongside save states and shareable virtual memory cards. Requires game backups and, for best results, a copy of the PS2 BIOS you own.
- Price
- Free, open source
- License
- Open source
- Requires
- macOS on Apple Silicon or Intel; specific minimum version varies by release, per the developer’s download page.
- Get it via
- Direct · GitHub
- Developer
- PCSX2 Team
Do you use PCSX2?
Who made this
Site (opens in new tab) GitHub (opens in new tab)
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What it does
Upscaling
Renders PS2 games at resolutions well beyond the console’s native output.
Virtual memory cards
Save data lives in shareable, virtual memory cards instead of physical ones.
Save states
Save and resume from any point, not just in-game checkpoints.
Internal recorder
Captures lossless-quality video at full emulation speed.
The deal
- Free and open source
Worth knowing: A significant majority, not all, of the PS2 library is considered playable per PCSX2’s own compatibility list — some titles have known graphical or performance issues.
PCSX2 — questions people ask
Is PCSX2 free?
Yes — free and open source.
Does PCSX2 run on Apple Silicon?
Yes, native Apple Silicon builds are available alongside Intel builds.
Is PCSX2 free?
Yes — PCSX2 is free.
Does PCSX2 work alongside a notch app like Alcove?
Yes — PCSX2 lives in the dock, so it runs happily alongside any Dynamic Island hub or notch app.
Where can I download PCSX2?
PCSX2 is available via Direct, GitHub.
Is PCSX2 open source?
Yes — PCSX2 is open source.
Reviews
No public ratings yet. Reader reviews are coming to Kitsmith soon.
Listing hand-verified September 18, 2026 from the developer's site and public sources.
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