Which PlayStation console was the first to play DVD movies?

The PlayStation 2 was the first PlayStation console to play DVD movies.

Released in Japan in March 2000, the PS2 combined a game console with a built-in DVD drive. This gave it a major advantage as DVD adoption was accelerating: buyers could use one relatively inexpensive device for games and home video instead of purchasing a separate DVD player.

The feature helped create early interest in the system, especially because the PS2 launched with a relatively small selection of games. The Matrix was reportedly one of the most popular DVD titles associated with the Japanese launch period, illustrating how strongly movie playback shaped the console's appeal.

Some of the first Japanese PS2 models required DVD playback software copied to a memory card rather than having the complete function built in. Later models and systems sold in other regions provided more straightforward built-in DVD playback. This technical exception does not change the console-level answer: the PS2 introduced DVD movie playback to the PlayStation line.