PS2 emulation on Android is in a pretty good place these days, with NetherSX2 providing great performance on phones, handhelds and tablets.
However, given the popularity of Sony's console, there's always interest in new emulators, and it seems that a rather shady individual is taking advantage of this with PSX2, a new PS2 emulator based on PCSX2.
As reported by Android Authority, PSX2 has been forked from PCSX2_ARM64, which is an attempt to port the emulator to smartphones. PSX2 is on the Google Play Store for $4.99, but you can also build your own version using the code on GitHub.
However, before you rush out to do either of those things, it's worth noting that PSX2 has come under fire for being a low-effort "vibe-coded" scam created using AI.
This was reported on Reddit, with the team behind ARMSX2, another PS2 emulation project for smartphones, adding on their Discord server:
"It’s come to our attention that a newly released paid emulator by the name of “PSX2” has appeared on the google play store, we will only issue this warning once, and past that it is up to common sense.
This emulator is being sold at 5$ a pop for what is basically a non functional early proof of concept of Pontos’s original PCSX2 port to Android (the same source material we originally built this entire project around), however this emulator was developed through “vibe coding” AKA ChatGPT cooked up a UI and they shipped out the barebones PCSX2 port with a price tag.
We’d like to warn you to NOT fall for the trap and send this “developer” money. This is not the first time they have practiced scam tactics to make a quick buck off the fans of emulation and the FOSS community. It is a shame that I even have to make this announcement, as I’d assume people releasing PS2, or any emulators would do it for the love of emulation and not for the love of their own pockets."
It looks like this is one to avoid, then – if you're interested in decent PS2 emulation on Android devices, then check out NetherSX2.