There are so many amazing game franchises out there that span a variety of genres, ensuring that all players are spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing their next game. When it comes to some of these big-name franchises, it’s all too easy to forget where they started.

Many of the games we know and love today began their life on Sony’s second-generation console, the PlayStation 2. While some of these franchises have since fizzled out of existence, others are still going strong. Check out ten great franchises that many forget had their first release on the PS2.

10 TimeSplitters

TimeSplitters is a first-person shooter game that was a PS2 launch title. The game takes place over 100 years, as the game utilizes time travel as its core premise. While the first game was a Sony exclusive, its two sequels released on multiple consoles.

Though the third title in the series, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect, released back in 2005 for the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube, the franchise is planning a future comeback. In 2019, the series co-creator Steve Ellis announced that a new TimeSplitters title was currently in development.

9 Jak and Daxter

Naughty Dog didn’t sit on its laurels after creating the Crash Bandicoot platformer series and went on to create Jak and Daxter, with Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy releasing for PS2 in 2001.

As well as spin-off titles, Jak and Daxter had three main titles to its name, but all of these released on the PS2. Though the series has made its way to subsequent generations of consoles, it’s only been as remastered collections of the older titles, most recently releasing on the PS4 in 2017.

8 Kingdom Hearts

The genius combination of the Final Fantasy franchise with Disney resulted in the creation of Kingdom Hearts. It released for the PS2 in 2002 and it became one of the highest-selling games at that time. Kingdom Hearts 2 released for PS2 in 2005 and fans were keenly awaiting the next main installment in the series.

Regrettably, other than releasing some HD remasters for the PS3 and some spin-off titles for portable consoles, Kingdom Hearts skipped the next generation of consoles and it wasn’t until the PS4 that fans actually received Kingdom Hearts 3. Interestingly, by this time, the franchise was no longer a Sony exclusive and it released for Xbox One also.

7 Sly Cooper

One of the lesser-known platformers out there is the Sly Cooper series, which began with the release of Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus in 2002 for the PS2. The franchise has a big fan community and unsurprisingly it earned itself a few sequels.

The latest title, Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, released for the PS3 in 2013 and there was a secret ending that hinted towards another title in the making. Regrettably, the developers,  Sanzaru Games, has since released a statement saying no game is in development. However, given the resurgence of platformers due to the remakes of Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, fans still have hope that Sly will make a comeback too, despite the recent acquisition of Sanzaru Games by Facebook.

6 Devil May Cry

Devil May Cry released for the PS2 in 2001 and it sold extremely well, prompting a follow-up sequel shortly afterward in the form of Devil May Cry 2 in 2003, and then a prequel with Devil May Cry 3 in 2005.

The series went on to have subsequent releases, and while there was a time that fans were worried about the franchise’s future due to the reboot release of DmC: Devil May Cry, the series is now definitely back on track. Devil May Cry 5 released in 2019 to critical acclaim, and it was recently re-released as a Special Edition for the latest generation of consoles.

5 Katamari

The Katamari franchise began with the release of Katamari Damacy for PS2 in 2004. This quirky but fun game is definitely a bit niche, but it was received well, prompting multiple sequels.

The first few titles remained PlayStation exclusives, but then the franchise began mixing it up by releasing exclusive titles on different formats. The most recent release is Katamari Damacy Reroll, an HD remaster of the first game. It released for Nintendo Switch in 2018, but it was recently ported to PS4 and Xbox One just last month.

4 God of War

Everyone knows God of War now, even the more casual players desperately sought it out after the 2018 release, as it was a critical and commercial success. God of War won numerous awards and became one of the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive titles to date.

However, many forget that Kratos began his journey in the original God of War game that released in 2005 for the PS2. In fact, the first two titles released for the PS2 and then were remastered and re-released for the PS3 also. This franchise is one that doesn’t look like it’s going to go away any time soon.

3 Guitar Hero

The first Guitar Hero title released in 2005 for the PS2 and it rocked the world by introducing rhythm games to mainstream gamers and becoming a cultural phenomenon. This franchise went on to have six different sequels, the most recent of which, Guitar Hero Live, released in 2015 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, and Wii U.

Regrettably, despite Guitar Hero Live receiving excellent reviews, there doesn’t seem to be any news on whether we’ll see another title. With any luck, we’ll be rocking out on a new guitar peripheral for this new generation of console sometime soon.

2 Ratchet and Clank

One franchise that has stayed loyal to Sony since the very beginning is Ratchet and Clank, which remains a PlayStation console exclusive to this day. Developed by Insomniac Games, the first game released in 2002 for the PS2. There was a whopping total of five Ratchet and Clank games released for the PS2 in total before the sequels moved on to subsequent consoles.

The most recent release was for the PS4 in 2016. However, there is already another game in the works, with Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart due to release for the PS5 next year.

1 Yakuza

The first Yakuza title released for the PS2 in 2006,  followed by Yakuza 2 in 2008. The series has steadily been pumping out sequels ever since, as well as spin-off titles (though these mainly remain in Japan only). While the franchise has been considered “niche” for many years, it’s slowly becoming more mainstream.

For a long time, the Yakuza series was a PlayStation exclusive, but over the past year, the titles have been making their way to PC and Xbox One as well. The latest title, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, recently released on all formats, though the PS5 version is due out next year in 2021.

NEXT: 10 Great PlayStation 2 Games That Never Got Re-Released (But Really Should Be)