the ps2 came 4 years after the N64, a crucial time window of consumer audio chip evolution. but even more importantly, the N64 didnt even have a sound chip, relied on the CPU for it while competing for resources.
because if you can only have 1 child to support the family in the future you need to have the one that gets educated and paid. it went on for decades. if you search youtube for the word ‘china’ theres countless recent explanations of the various ways they are collapsing.
their 1 Child per family policy for decades has left them with a gigantic pile of elderly and not nearly enough working age people to support them. not to mention the young people have no training on how to support their infrastructure or manufacturing tools.