From fashion to films and filters, AI has us all tangled in its expansive grasp. The PS2 filter is the internet’s most recent fixation.
Since the recent AI takeover began, there have been many popular social media trends. From hyper-realistic alien portraits to generated celebrity voiceovers, all disciplines have been explored. Yet, despite having gained such traction online, few have received quite as much attention as the most recent phenomenon. The AI PlayStation 2 filter.
Those fairly active on Instagram and TikTok will have noticed the trend popping up left, right and center. But what allowed this videogame-inspired image tool to make such a splash? Paying homage to all of our favorite online worlds growing up, it’s evident that the filter taps into our need for nostalgia and social connection. As a result, users scoured the internet for an app called Replicate – a website designed for software engineers and the machine learning trailblazers of the world.
Part of the reason the trend is so popular is thanks to its accessibility. Users simply upload a photo and then within thirty seconds, they have an early 00s low-poly portrait. The filter originally came to light after Redditor @Wear_A_Damn_Helmet made a post on the r/MidJourney subreddit. Then, following its initial buzz, the filter made its way over to TikTok, where TikTok user @hurtabdu1 is credited as the first user to have amassed over 1 million plays.
According to Google Trends, the search term ‘PS2 filter’ reached peak popularity on March 17th, 2024. However, the retro videogame aesthetic shows no signs of slowing down. With the recent announcement of GTA 6’s release in 2025 alongside rumors of a second Nintendo Switch making its debut this year, the gaming industry seems to have us all eager for more.
And the interest in retro video games isn’t self-limiting. It’s even piqued the interest of film directors, cinematographers and more. In 2023, there was an explicit turn towards video game-inspired content. The Five Nights at Freddy’s film was released, alongside Sonic the Hedgehog and The Super Mario Bros. Movie – starring acclaimed actors such as Jack Black, Chris Pratt and Anya Taylor-Joy. Now, the direction continues with The Legend of Zelda live-action movie adaptation, the Minecraft movie and The Sims all set to make their inaugural cinematic appearance within the coming years.
Similarly, the fashion industry has noticed a rise in video game media. Earlier this year in January, Tommy Hilfiger and Joe Lamastra’s Hilfiger Ventures joined forces with Tilting Point for FashionVerse- the brand’s first interactive fashion game. Available on iOS and Android, the game utilizes Brandible’s AI model to create photorealistic avatars, environments and modifications for added personalization and charm.
As AI continues to evolve and engineers experiment with machine learning, more video game-orientated trends are likely to appear. And from the PS2 filter’s popularity, we obviously can’t get enough. Uncanny, playful and fun, bring it on AI.
Top homepage image by Raj Rana, homepage image by Aiony Haust; inside image by Avo Ogunseinde.
