Update: Tonight we received word from fusion that he has now decided to share with the PS2 community the PS2 ZoneLoader Source Code & Direct-Boot Docs for all dev'ers interested in learning (and perhaps even improving on) the methods used. We'd like to THANK fusion for SHARING, and he also mentioned if there is enough interest he may release the tool discussed at some point in the future as well. VERY cool news!

Back in May, we hosted a POLL to see who remembered the PS2 ZoneLoader that was never released a few years back. Based on the results, many have never heard of it up until that point. On this rainy Friday night, Team PS3News decided to dig into our archives and make it publically available in two formats (based on the media type of the PS2 game back-up you're using): CDR Image and DVDR Image. For example, if you're loading a DVDR game back-up then you would use the Swap Magic DVD disc to launch the DVDR ZoneLoader disc, followed by your PS2 DVDR game back-up last.

To quote from the included NFO file: "For those unfamiliar with ZoneLoader, it is basically like PS2 CogSwapLoader or CD Loader as it allows you to launch 'problem' PS2 games when swapped in-between the Swap Magic Discs. Many of the games that are plagued by these issues are those that contain multiple ELF files, for example, Hitman 2 and Splinter Cell. A more complete list of Swap Magic 'problem' games can be found on www.SwapMagicFix.com, but as ZoneLoader is a dated BETA (V0.5) it will not work for all of them... so simply use it as another option worth trying when your game won't launch using the Swap Magic Discs alone." Those who try it out can post their results in THIS Forum thread, and of course PROPS to the source for sharing it with us quite some time ago!