What are the numbers on the back of a ps2 disc

[Potatocell]

I sell games on the side and guy asked me to send a picture of the back of a disc, He asked for the numbers that are around the middle hole, after I sent it he bought it and said he was looking for one with a 1,2,27 or 246. Mine had a 2 at the end.

 

what does this mean and what could he have been looking for? is like a region number or something?

 

 

 

 

[PorkishPig]

PDSS-000995A1 2 is a Mastering Code, PDSS identifies that the it is a PS2 DVD-ROM, 000995A1 2 is a serial number,

[PlayStation 2]

Would like to add to the above that that's only how US-manufactured PS2 DVD games are denoted. To confirm your suspicions, here's a picture of the mastering code on the back of my Greatest Hits copy of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie:

US-manufactured PS2 CD games contain a similarly formatted code on the back. Here's Driving Emotion Type-S, for reference:

European games contain a different sort of code on the back, at least on this copy of Fantavision:

...and Japanese games simply contain the serial number of the game as shown on the side of the case. Here's my copy of Enthusia Professional Racing to prove that for you:

[Potatocell]

23 minutes ago, handymanshandle said:

Would like to add to the above that that's only how US-manufactured PS2 DVD games are denoted. To confirm your suspicions, here's a picture of the mastering code on the back of my Greatest Hits copy of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie:

 

US-manufactured PS2 CD games contain a similarly formatted code on the back. Here's Driving Emotion Type-S, for reference:

 

European games contain a different sort of code on the back, at least on this copy of Fantavision:

 

...and Japanese games simply contain the serial number of the game as shown on the side of the case. Here's my copy of Enthusia Professional Racing to prove that for you:

 

very interesting.so only the US ones start with PDSS, if that was the case if he was looking for region wouldn't he just want they first ones? 

 

I think he was just asking for the ending number or the number that is spaced further away from the rest. So does that ending number signify anything special? Maybe like a software version? on PS2 you cant get updates like the ps3 right? thats why they cant just take the hot coffee off the gta sa and had to recall the game and ship new discs right? unless I am remembering that wrong 

[PlayStation 2]

5 minutes ago, Potatocell said:

very interesting.so only the US ones start with PDSS, if that was the case if he was looking for region wouldn't he just want they first ones? 

 

I think he was just asking for the ending number or the number that is spaced further away from the rest. So does that ending number signify anything special? Maybe like a software version? on PS2 you cant get updates like the ps3 right? thats why they cant just take the hot coffee off the gta sa and had to recall the game and ship new discs right? unless I am remembering that wrong 

If who you were talking to wants something based on region, it's much, much, much easier to just look at the box where the regional indicator label is.

 

I don't particularly think that "2" number means much of anything. Checking a bunch of random discs I had and they all have 2, 3 or 4. At the very most, it might just mean specific print run, but even there, I dunno. I'd probably hazard a guess to it just referring to what production plant it came from.

The easiest way to check for a software revision if you aren't sure of it is to just pop the disc into a PC disc drive and browse the game's files. Thankfully, with something like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, it's pretty clearly defined as to what versions are the original release and which ones aren't (basically, Special Ediiton, Greatest Hits and any subsequent re-releases won't have Hot Coffee, for example), but for other games, it can be a toss-up... unless you're talking about Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution, Silent Hill 2 or Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix.