PlayStation (console)

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox information appliance The Template:Nihongo foot (codenamed PSX, abbreviated as PS, and retroactively PS1/PS one) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released in Japan on December 3, 1994, followed by North America on September 9, 1995, Europe on September 29, 1995, and other regions following thereafter. As a fifth-generation console, the PlayStation primarily competed with the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn.

Sony began developing the PlayStation after a failed venture with Nintendo to create a CD-ROM peripheral for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in the early 1990s. The console was primarily designed by Ken Kutaragi and Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan, while additional development was outsourced in the United Kingdom. An emphasis on 3D polygon graphics was placed at the forefront of the console's design.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> PlayStation game production was designed to be streamlined and inclusive, enticing the support of many third-party developers.

The console proved popular for its extensive game library, popular franchises, low retail price, and aggressive youth marketing which advertised it as the preferable console for adolescents and adults. Critically acclaimed games that defined the console includes Gran Turismo, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Tekken 3, and Final Fantasy VII. Sony ceased production of the PlayStation on 23 March 2006—over eleven years after it had been released, and in the same year the PlayStation 3 debuted.<ref name="stops">Template:Cite web</ref> More than 4,000 PlayStation games were released, with cumulative sales of 962 million units.

The PlayStation signalled Sony's rise to power in the video game industry. It received acclaim and sold strongly; in less than a decade, it became the first computer entertainment platform to ship over 100 million units.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Its use of compact discs heralded the game industry's transition from cartridges. The PlayStation's success led to a line of successors, beginning with the PlayStation 2 in 2000. In the same year, Sony released a smaller and cheaper model, the PS one.

History

Background

A photo of the only-known SNES-based PlayStation prototype with a controller and disk drive in the foreground.

One of the only two known SNES-based PlayStation prototypes<ref name="only">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The PlayStation was conceived by Ken Kutaragi, a Sony executive who managed a hardware engineering division and was later dubbed "the Father of the PlayStation".<ref name=father2>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kutaragi's interest in working with video games stemmed from seeing his daughter play games on Nintendo's Famicom.<ref name=father>Template:Cite web</ref> Kutaragi convinced Nintendo to use his SPC-700 sound processor in the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) through a demonstration of the processor's capabilities.Template:Sfn His willingness to work with Nintendo was derived from both his admiration of the Famicom and conviction in video game consoles becoming the main home-use entertainment systems.Template:Sfn Although Kutaragi was nearly fired because he worked with Nintendo without Sony's knowledge,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> president Norio Ohga recognised the potential in Kutaragi's chip and decided to keep him as a protégé.<ref name=father/>

The inception of the PlayStation dates back to a 1988 joint venture between Nintendo and Sony.Template:Sfn Nintendo had produced floppy disk technology to complement cartridges in the form of the Family Computer Disk System, and wanted to continue this complementary storage strategy for the SNES.<ref name=father /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Since Sony was already contracted to produce the SPC-700 sound processor for the SNES,Template:Sfn Nintendo contracted Sony to develop a CD-ROM add-on, tentatively titled the "Play Station" or "SNES-CD".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="polygonhistory">Template:Cite web</ref> The PlayStation name had already been trademarked by Yamaha, but Nobuyuki Idei liked it so much that he agreed to acquire it for an undisclosed sum rather than search for an alternative.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Sony was keen to obtain a foothold in the rapidly expanding video game market. Having been the primary manufacturer of the ill-fated MSX home computer format, Sony had wanted to use their experience in consumer electronics to produce their own video game hardware.Template:Sfn<ref name=ignhistory/> Although the initial agreement between Nintendo and Sony was about producing a CD-ROM drive add-on, Sony had also planned to develop a SNES-compatible Sony-branded console. This iteration was intended to be more of a home entertainment system, playing both SNES cartridges and a new CD format named the "Super Disc", which Sony would design.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Under the agreement, Sony would retain sole international rights to every Super Disc game, giving them a large degree of control despite Nintendo's leading position in the video game market.Template:Sfn<ref name="edgehistory">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name=ignhistory/> Furthermore, Sony would also be the sole benefactor of licensing related to music and film software that it had been aggressively pursuing as a secondary application.<ref name="pschronicles">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Play Station was to be announced at the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.<ref name="ces">Template:Cite web</ref> However, Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi was wary of Sony's increasing leverage at this point and deemed the original 1988 contract unacceptable upon realising it essentially handed Sony control over all games written on the SNES CD-ROM format. Although Nintendo was dominant in the video game market, Sony possessed a superior research and development department.Template:Sfn Wanting to protect Nintendo's existing licensing structure, Yamauchi cancelled all plans for the joint Nintendo–Sony SNES CD attachment without telling Sony.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="ces" /> He sent Nintendo of America president Minoru Arakawa (his son-in-law) and chairman Howard Lincoln to Amsterdam to form a more favourable contract with Dutch conglomerate Philips, Sony's rival. This contract would give Nintendo total control over their licences on all Philips-produced machines.Template:Sfn<ref name="ignhistory">Template:Cite web</ref>

Kutaragi and Nobuyuki Idei, Sony's director of public relations at the time, learned of Nintendo's actions two days before the CES was due to begin. Kutaragi telephoned numerous contacts, including Philips, to no avail.Template:Sfn On the first day of the CES, Sony announced their partnership with Nintendo and their new console, the Play Station. At 9 am on the next day, in what has been called "the greatest ever betrayal" in the industry,Template:Sfn Howard Lincoln stepped onto the stage and revealed that Nintendo was now allied with Philips and would abandon their work with Sony.<ref name=father/><ref name="venture">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn

Inception

Ken Kutaragi pictured in 2014 at the Game Deveolopers Choice Awards ceremony. Kutaragi is standing on stage, holding an award in his right hand.

Ken Kutaragi, the "Father of the PlayStation", pictured at the Game Developers Choice Awards in 2014

Incensed by Nintendo's renouncement, Ohga and Kutaragi decided that Sony would develop their own console.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Nintendo's contract-breaking was met with consternation in the Japanese business community,<ref name=father/> as they had broken an "unwritten law" of native companies not turning against each other in favour of foreign ones.<ref name=ignhistory/> Sony's American branch considered allying with Sega to produce a CD-ROM-based machine called the Sega Multimedia Entertainment System, but the Sega board of directors in Tokyo vetoed the idea when Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske presented them the proposal. Kalinske recalled them saying: "That's a stupid idea, Sony doesn't know how to make hardware. They don't know how to make software either. Why would we want to do this?"<ref name="sega ally">Template:Cite web</ref> Sony halted their research, but decided to develop what it had developed with Nintendo and Sega into a console based on the SNES.<ref name="sega ally" />

Despite the tumultuous events at the 1991 CES, negotiations between Nintendo and Sony were still ongoing. A deal was proposed: the Play Station would still have a port for SNES games, on the condition that it would still use Kutaragi's audio chip and that Nintendo would own the rights and receive the bulk of the profits. Roughly two hundred prototype machines were created, and some software entered development.<ref name=ignhistory/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Many within Sony were still opposed to their involvement in the video game industry, with some resenting Kutaragi for jeopardising the company.Template:Sfn Kutaragi remained adamant that Sony not retreat from the growing industry and that a deal with Nintendo would never work.<ref name=father/>Template:Sfn Knowing that they had to take decisive action, Sony severed all ties with Nintendo on 4 May 1992.Template:Sfn

To determine the fate of the PlayStation project, Ohga chaired a meeting in June 1992, consisting of Kutaragi and several senior Sony board members. Kutaragi unveiled a proprietary CD-ROM-based system he had been secretly working on which played games with immersive 3D graphics. Kutaragi was confident that his LSI chip could accommodate one million logic gates, which exceeded the capabilities of Sony's semiconductor division at the time.Template:Sfn Despite gaining Ohga's enthusiasm, there remained opposition from a majority present at the meeting. Older Sony executives also opposed it, who saw Nintendo and Sega as "toy" manufacturers.<ref name=edgehistory/> The opposers felt the game industry was too culturally offbeat and asserted that Sony should remain a central player in the audiovisual industry, where companies were familiar with one another and could conduct "civili[s]ed" business negotiations.Template:Sfn After Kutaragi reminded him of the humiliation he suffered from Nintendo, Ohga retained the project and became one of Kutaragi's most staunch supporters.<ref name=polygonhistory/>Template:Sfn

Ohga shifted Kutaragi and nine of his team from Sony's main headquarters to Sony Music Entertainment Japan (SMEJ),Template:Sfn a subsidiary of the main Sony group, so as to retain the project and maintain relationships with Philips for the MMCD development project.<ref name=edgehistory/> The involvement of SMEJ proved crucial to the PlayStation's early development as the process of manufacturing games on CD-ROM format was similar to that used for audio CDs, with which Sony's music division had considerable experience. While at SMEJ, Kutaragi worked with Epic/Sony Records founder Shigeo Maruyama and Akira Sato; both later became vice-presidents of the division that ran the PlayStation business.<ref name=edgehistory/> Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) was jointly established by Sony and SMEJ to handle the company's ventures into the video game industry.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn On 27 October 1993, Sony publicly announced that it was entering the game console market with the PlayStation.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn According to Maruyama, there was uncertainty over whether the console should primarily focus on 2D, sprite-based graphics or 3D polygon graphics. After Sony witnessed the success of Sega's Virtua Fighter (1993) in Japanese arcades, the direction of the PlayStation became "instantly clear" and 3D polygon graphics became the console's primary focus.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> SCE president Teruhisa Tokunaka expressed gratitude for Sega's timely release of Virtua Fighter as it proved "just at the right time" that making games with 3D imagery was possible.Template:Sfn Maruyama claimed that Sony further wanted to emphasise the new console's ability to utilise redbook audio from the CD-ROM format in its games alongside high quality visuals and gameplay.<ref name="famitsu280">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Wishing to distance the project from the failed enterprise with Nintendo, Sony initially branded the PlayStation the "PlayStation X" (PSX).Template:Sfn Sony formed their European division and North American division, known as Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), in January and May 1995.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The divisions planned to market the new console under the alternative branding "PSX" following the negative feedback regarding "PlayStation" in focus group studies. Early advertising prior to the console's launch in North America referenced PSX, but the term was scrapped before launch.Template:Sfn The console was not marketed with Sony's name in contrast to Nintendo's consoles. According to Phil Harrison, much of Sony's upper management feared that the Sony brand would be tarnished if associated with the console, which they considered a "toy".<ref name=edgehistory/><ref name="pschronicles"/>

Development

Since Sony had no experience in game development, it had to rely on the support of third-party game developers. This was in contrast to Sega and Nintendo, which had versatile and well-equipped in-house software divisions for their arcade games and could easily port successful games to their home consoles.Template:Sfn Recent consoles like the Atari Jaguar and 3DO suffered low sales due to a lack of developer support, prompting Sony to redouble their efforts in gaining the endorsement of arcade-savvy developers.<ref name=ignhistory/> A team from Epic Sony visited more than a hundred companies throughout Japan in May 1993 in hopes of attracting game creators with the PlayStation's technological appeal.Template:Sfn Sony found that many disliked Nintendo's practices, such as favouring their own games over others.Template:R Through a series of negotiations, Sony acquired initial support from Namco, Konami, and Williams Entertainment, as well as 250 other development teams in Japan alone. Namco in particular was interested in developing for PlayStation since Namco rivalled Sega in the arcade market.Template:Sfn Attaining these companies secured influential games such as Ridge Racer (1993) and Mortal Kombat 3 (1995),<ref name=ignhistory/>Template:Sfn Ridge Racer being one of the most popular arcade games at the time,Template:Sfn and it was already confirmed behind closed doors that it would be the PlayStation's first game by December 1993,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> despite Namco being a longstanding Nintendo developer.Template:R Namco's research managing director Shegeichi Nakamura met with Kutaragi in 1993 to discuss the preliminary PlayStation specifications, with Namco subsequently basing the Namco System 11 arcade board on PlayStation hardware and developing Tekken to compete with Virtua Fighter.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The System 11 launched in arcades several months before the PlayStation's release, with the arcade release of Tekken in September 1994.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A photo of Ian Hetherington, founder of game developer Psygnosis, seated at a desk.

Ian Hetherington pictured in 1990. Hetherington and Psygnosis played important roles in the PlayStation project.

Despite securing the support of various Japanese studios, Sony had no developers of their own by the time the PlayStation was in development. This changed in 1993 when Sony acquired the Liverpudlian company Psygnosis (later renamed SCE Liverpool) for Template:USD million, securing their first in-house development team. The acquisition meant that Sony could have more launch games ready for the PlayStation's release in Europe and North America.<ref name=ignhistory/>Template:Sfn Ian Hetherington, Psygnosis' co-founder, was disappointed after receiving early builds of the PlayStation and recalled that the console "was not fit for purpose" until his team got involved with it.<ref name="eusuccess">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Hetherington frequently clashed with Sony executives over broader ideas; at one point it was suggested that a television with a built-in PlayStation be produced.<ref name="hetherington">Template:Cite web</ref> In the months leading up to the PlayStation's launch, Psygnosis had around 500 full-time staff working on games and assisting with software development.<ref name=eusuccess/>Template:Sfn

The purchase of Psygnosis marked another turning point for the PlayStation as it played a vital role in creating the console's development kits. While Sony had provided MIPS R4000-based Sony NEWS workstations for PlayStation development, Psygnosis employees disliked the thought of developing on these expensive workstations and asked Bristol-based SN Systems to create an alternative PC-based development system.<ref name=edgehistory/> Andy Beveridge and Martin Day, owners of SN Systems, had previously supplied development hardware for other consoles such as the Mega Drive, Atari ST, and the SNES.Template:Sfn When Psygnosis arranged an audience for SN Systems with Sony's Japanese executives at the January 1994 CES in Las Vegas, Beveridge and Day presented their prototype of the condensed development kit, which could run on an ordinary personal computer with two extension boards. Impressed, Sony decided to abandon their plans for a workstation-based development system in favour of SN Systems's, thus securing a cheaper and more efficient method for designing software.<ref name=ignhistory/> An order of over 600 systems followed, and SN Systems supplied Sony with additional software such as an assembler, linker, and a debugger.Template:Sfn SN Systems produced development kits for future PlayStation systems, including the PlayStation 2 and was bought out by Sony in 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sony strived to make game production as streamlined and inclusive as possible, in contrast to the relatively isolated approach of Sega and Nintendo. Phil Harrison, representative director of SCEE, believed that Sony's emphasis on developer assistance reduced most time-consuming aspects of development. As well as providing programming libraries, SCE headquarters in London, California, and Tokyo housed technical support teams that could work closely with third-party developers if needed.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Sony did not favour their own over non-Sony products, unlike Nintendo;Template:R Peter Molyneux of Bullfrog Productions admired Sony's open-handed approach to software developers and lauded their decision to use PCs as a development platform, remarking that "[it was] like being released from jail in terms of the freedom you have".Template:Sfn Another strategy that helped attract software developers was the PlayStation's use of the CD-ROM format instead of traditional cartridges. Nintendo cartridges were expensive to manufacture, and the company controlled all production, prioritising their own games, while inexpensive compact disc manufacturing occurred at dozens of locations around the world.Template:R

The PlayStation's architecture and interconnectability with PCs was beneficial to many software developers. The use of the programming language C proved useful, as it safeguarded future compatibility of the machine should developers decide to make further hardware revisions.Template:Sfn Despite the inherent flexibility, some developers found themselves restricted due to the console's lack of RAM. While working on beta builds of the PlayStation, Molyneux observed that its MIPS processor was not "quite as bullish" compared to that of a fast PC and said that it took his team two weeks to port their PC code to the PlayStation development kits and another fortnight to achieve a four-fold speed increase.Template:Sfn An engineer from Ocean Software, one of Europe's largest game developers at the time, thought that allocating RAM was a challenging aspect given the 3.5 megabyte restriction.Template:Sfn Kutaragi said that while it would have been easy to double the amount of RAM for the PlayStation, the development team refrained from doing so to keep the retail cost down.Template:Sfn Kutaragi saw the biggest challenge in developing the system to be balancing the conflicting goals of high performance, low cost, and being easy to program for, and felt he and his team were successful in this regard.Template:Sfn

Its technical specifications were finalised in 1993 and its design during 1994.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The PlayStation name and its final design were confirmed during a press conference on May 10, 1994, although the price and release dates had not been disclosed yet.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Launch

File:Sony Computer Entertainment Logo.png

Sony Computer Entertainment logo used on PlayStation startup screen

Sony released the PlayStation in Japan on 3 December 1994, a week after the release of the Sega Saturn, at a price of Template:¥.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Sales in Japan began with a "stunning"<ref name=father/> success with long queues in shops.<ref name=ignhistory/> Ohga later recalled that he realised how important PlayStation had become for Sony when friends and relatives begged for consoles for their children.<ref name="maher20231208">Template:Cite web</ref> PlayStation sold 100,000 units on the first dayTemplate:Sfn and two million units within six months,Template:Sfn although the Saturn outsold the PlayStation in the first few weeks due to the success of Virtua Fighter.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn By the end of 1994, 300,000 PlayStation units were sold in Japan compared to 500,000 Saturn units.Template:Sfn A grey market emerged for PlayStations shipped from Japan to North America and Europe, with buyers of such consoles paying up to £700.Template:Sfn

Before the release in North America, Sega and Sony presented their consoles at the first Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles on 11 May 1995. At their keynote presentation, Sega of America CEO Tom Kalinske revealed that their Saturn console would be released immediately to select retailers at a price of $399. Next came Sony's turn: Olaf Olafsson, the head of SCEA, summoned Steve Race, the head of development, to the conference stage, who said "$299" and left the audience with a round of applause.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The attention to the Sony conference was further bolstered by the surprise appearance of Michael Jackson and the showcase of highly anticipated games, including Wipeout (1995), Ridge Racer and Tekken (1994).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In addition, Sony announced that no games would be bundled with the console.<ref name=ignhistory/>Template:Sfn

Although the Saturn had released early in the United States to gain an advantage over the PlayStation,Template:Sfn the surprise launch upset many retailers who were not informed in time, harming sales.Template:Sfn Some retailers such as KB Toys responded by dropping the Saturn entirely.Template:Sfn The PlayStation went on sale in North America on 9 September 1995. It sold more units within two days than the Saturn had in five months, with almost all of the initial shipment of 100,000 units sold in advance and shops across the country running out of consoles and accessories.<ref name=ignhistory/> The well-received Ridge Racer contributed to the PlayStation's early success,Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Template:Sfn — with some critics considering it superior to Sega's arcade counterpart Daytona USA (1994)Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn — as did Battle Arena Toshinden (1995).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> There were over 100,000 pre-orders placed and 17 games available on the market by the time of the PlayStation's American launch,<ref name=ignhistory/> in comparison to the Saturn's six launch games.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

The PlayStation released in Europe on 29 September 1995<ref name="developmentEU" /> and in Australia on 15 November 1995.<ref name="aus" /> By November it had already outsold the Saturn by three to one in the United Kingdom, where Sony had allocated a £20 million marketing budget during the Christmas season compared to Sega's £4 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sony found early success in the United Kingdom by securing listings with independent shop owners as well as prominent High Street chains such as Comet and Argos.<ref name=eusuccess/> Within its first year, the PlayStation secured over 20% of the entire American video game market.Template:Sfn From September to the end of 1995, sales in the United States amounted to 800,000 units, giving the PlayStation a commanding lead over the other fifth-generation consoles,Template:Efn<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> though the SNES and Mega Drive from the fourth generation still outsold it.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Sony reported that the attach rate of sold games and consoles was four to one.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> To meet increasing demand, Sony chartered jumbo jets and ramped up production in Europe and North America.Template:Sfn By early 1996, the PlayStation had grossed $2 billion (equivalent to $Template:Inflation billion Template:Inflation/year) from worldwide hardware and software sales.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By late 1996, sales in Europe totalled Template:Nowrap units, including 700,000 in the UK.Template:Sfn Approximately 400 PlayStation games were in development, compared to around 200 games being developed for the Saturn and 60 for the Nintendo 64.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In India, the PlayStation was launched in test market during 1999–2000 across Sony showrooms, selling 100 units.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sony finally launched the console (PS One model) countrywide on 24 January 2002 with the price of Rs 7,990 and 26 games available from start.<ref name="india"/>

Marketing success and later years

The PlayStation was backed by a successful marketing campaign, allowing Sony to gain an early foothold in Europe and North America.Template:Sfn Initially, PlayStation demographics were skewed towards adults, but the audience broadened after the first price drop.Template:Sfn While the Saturn was positioned towards 18- to 34-year-olds,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> the PlayStation was initially marketed exclusively towards teenagers. Executives from both Sony and Sega reasoned that because younger players typically looked up to older, more experienced players, advertising targeted at teens and adults would draw them in too. Additionally, Sony found that adults reacted best to advertising aimed at teenagers; Lee Clow surmised that people who started to grow into adulthood regressed and became "17 again" when they played video games.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The console was marketed with advertising slogans stylised as "LIVE IN YOUR WORLD. PLAY IN OURS" (Live in Your World. Play in Ours.) and "U R NOT Template:Font color" (red E). The four geometric shapes were derived from the symbols for the four buttons on the controller.Template:Sfn<ref name=ignhistory/> Clow thought that by invoking such provocative statements, gamers would respond to the contrary and say Template:"'Bullshit. Let me show you how ready I am.Template:'"<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> As the console's appeal enlarged, Sony's marketing efforts broadened from their earlier focus on mature players to specifically target younger children as well.<ref name=NGen36>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Shortly after the PlayStation's release in Europe, Sony tasked marketing manager Geoff Glendenning with assessing the desires of a new target audience. Sceptical over Nintendo and Sega's reliance on television campaigns, Glendenning theorised that young adults transitioning from fourth-generation consoles would feel neglected by marketing directed at children and teenagers.<ref name="nightclub">Template:Cite web</ref> Recognising the influence early 1990s underground clubbing and rave culture had on young people, especially in the United Kingdom, Glendenning felt that the culture had become mainstream enough to help cultivate PlayStation's emerging identity. Sony partnered with prominent nightclub owners such as Ministry of Sound and festival promoters to organise dedicated PlayStation areas where demonstrations of select games could be tested.Template:Sfn Sheffield-based graphic design studio The Designers Republic was contracted by Sony to produce promotional materials aimed at a fashionable, club-going audience.<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Psygnosis' Wipeout in particular became associated with nightclub culture as it was widely featured in venues.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By 1997, there were 52 nightclubs in the United Kingdom with dedicated PlayStation rooms. Glendenning recalled that he had discreetly used at least £100,000 a year in slush fund money to invest in impromptu marketing.<ref name=nightclub/>

In 1996, Sony expanded their CD production facilities in the United States due to the high demand for PlayStation games, increasing their monthly output from 4 million discs to 6.5 million discs.Template:Sfn This was necessary because PlayStation sales were running at twice the rate of Saturn sales, and its lead dramatically increased when both consoles dropped in price to $199 that year.Template:Sfn The PlayStation also outsold the Saturn at a similar ratio in Europe during 1996,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> with 2.2 million consoles sold in the region by the end of the year.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Sales figures for PlayStation hardware and software only increased following the launch of the Nintendo 64.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Template:Sfn Tokunaka speculated that the Nintendo 64 launch had actually helped PlayStation sales by raising public awareness of the gaming market through Nintendo's added marketing efforts.Template:Sfn Despite this, the PlayStation took longer to achieve dominance in Japan. Tokunaka said that, even after the PlayStation and Saturn had been on the market for nearly two years, the competition between them was still "very close", and neither console had led in sales for any meaningful length of time.Template:Sfn

By 1998, Sega, encouraged by their declining market share and significant financial losses,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> launched the Dreamcast as a last-ditch attempt to stay in the industry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Although its launch was successful, the technically superior 128-bit console was unable to subdue Sony's dominance in the industry.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn Sony still held 60% of the overall video game market share in North America at the end of 1999.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Sega's initial confidence in their new console was undermined when Japanese sales were lower than expected,Template:Sfn with disgruntled Japanese consumers reportedly returning their Dreamcasts in exchange for PlayStation software.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 2 March 1999, Sony officially revealed details of the PlayStation 2, which Kutaragi announced would feature a graphics processor designed to push more raw polygons than any console in history, effectively rivalling most supercomputers.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The PlayStation continued to sell strongly at the turn of the new millennium: in June 2000, Sony released the PSOne, a smaller, redesigned variant which went on to outsell all other consoles in that year, including the PlayStation 2.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2005, PlayStation became the first console to ship 100 million units with the PlayStation 2 later achieving this faster than its predecessor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The combined successes of both PlayStation consoles led to Sega retiring the Dreamcast in 2001, and abandoning the console business entirely.Template:Sfn The PlayStation was eventually discontinued on 23 March 2006—over eleven years after its release, and less than a year before the debut of the PlayStation 3.<ref name=stops/>

Hardware

Technical specifications

GPU GPU	PlayStation sound processor PlayStation sound processor	R3000 CPU R3000 CPU
Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center
digital signal processor digital signal processor	SCPH-100 motherboard SCPH-100 motherboard	PS One motherboard PS One motherboard
Template:Center	Template:Center	Template:Center

The main microprocessor is a R3000 CPU made by LSI Logic operating at a clock rate of 33.8688 MHz and 30 MIPS.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn This 32-bit CPU relies heavily on the "cop2" 3D and matrix math coprocessor on the same die to provide the necessary speed to render complex 3D graphics.<ref name=ignhistory/> The role of the separate GPU chip is to draw 2D polygons and apply shading and textures to them: the rasterisation stage of the graphics pipeline. Sony's custom 16-bit sound chip supports ADPCM sources with up to 24 sound channels and offers a sampling rate of up to 44.1 kHz and MIDI sequencing. It features 2 MB of main RAM, with an additional 1 MB of video RAM.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn The PlayStation has a maximum colour depth of 16.7 million true colours<ref name="Ziff Davis">Template:Cite magazine</ref> with 32 levels of transparency and unlimited colour look-up tables. The PlayStation can output composite, S-Video or RGB video signals through its AV Multi connector (with older models also having RCA connectors for composite), displaying resolutions from 256×224 to 640×480 pixels.Template:Sfn Different games can use different resolutions. Earlier models also had proprietary parallel and serial ports that could be used to connect accessories or multiple consoles together; these were later removed due to a lack of usage.

The PlayStation uses a proprietary video compression unit, MDEC, which is integrated into the CPU and allows for the presentation of full motion video at a higher quality than other consoles of its generation.Template:Sfn Unusual for the time, the PlayStation lacks a dedicated 2D graphics processor; 2D elements are instead calculated as polygons by the Geometry Transfer Engine (GTE) so that they can be processed and displayed on screen by the GPU.Template:Sfn While running, the GPU can also generate a total of 4,000 sprites and 180,000 polygons per second, in addition to 360,000 per second flat-shaded.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Models

File:PlayStation-Model-Backs.jpg

Three different Sony PlayStation model backs, showing the evolution of port reduction. From bottom to top, SCPH-1001, SCPH-5001 and SCPH-9001.

The PlayStation went through a number of variants during its production run. Externally, the most notable change was the gradual reduction in the number of external connectors from the rear of the unit. This started with the original Japanese launch units; the SCPH-1000, released on 3 December 1994, was the only model that had an S-Video port, as it was removed from the next model.Template:Sfn Subsequent models saw a reduction in number of parallel ports, with the final version only retaining one serial port.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Sony marketed a development kit for amateur developers known as the Net Yaroze (meaning "Let's do it together" in Japanese<ref name="devthing">Template:Cite web</ref>). It was launched in June 1996 in Japan,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and following public interest, was released the next year in other countries.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The Net Yaroze allowed hobbyists to create their own games and upload them via an online forum run by Sony.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The console was only available to buy through an ordering service and with the necessary documentation and software to program PlayStation games and applications through C programming compilers.<ref name="Net Yaroze">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

PS One

A photo of a PS One console against a pure white background with a 5-inch LCD screen attachment placed on top.

The PS One "combo pack" with 5-inch LCD screen attachment

Template:Main On 7 July 2000, Sony released the PS One (stylised as "PS one" or "PSone"),<ref name="SCEE 2000—Key Facts and Figures">Template:Cite web</ref> a smaller, redesigned version of the original PlayStation.<ref name="SCEE 2000—Key Facts and Figures"/><ref name="PSOne" /> It was the highest-selling console through the end of the year, outselling all other consoles—including the PlayStation 2.<ref name="PSOne">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2002, Sony released a Template:Convert LCD screen add-on for the PS One, referred to as the "Combo pack". It also included a car cigarette lighter adaptor adding an extra layer of portability.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Production of the LCD "Combo Pack" ceased in 2004, when the popularity of the PlayStation began to wane in markets outside Japan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A total of 28.15 million PS One units had been sold by the time it was discontinued in March 2006.<ref name="shipments"/><ref name="stops"/>

Controllers

Three iterations of the PlayStation's controller were released over the console's lifespan. The first controller, the PlayStation controller, was released alongside the PlayStation in December 1994. It features four individual directional buttons (as opposed to a conventional D-pad), a pair of shoulder buttons on both sides, Start and Select buttons in the centre, and four face buttons consisting of simple geometric shapes: a green triangle, red circle, blue cross, and a pink square (Triangle, Circle, Cross, Square).<ref name="controllersquare">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Rather than depicting traditionally used letters or numbers onto its buttons, the PlayStation controller established a trademark which would be incorporated heavily into the PlayStation brand. Teiyu Goto, the designer of the original PlayStation controller, said that the circle and cross represent "yes" and "no", respectively (though this layout is reversed in Western versions); the triangle symbolises a point of view and the square is equated to a sheet of paper to be used to access menus.<ref name=1upcontroller>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Sfn The European and North American models of the original PlayStation controllers are roughly 10% larger than its Japanese variant, to account for the fact the average person in those regions has larger hands than the average Japanese person.Template:Sfn

Sony's first analogue gamepad, the PlayStation Analog Joystick (often erroneously referred to as the "Sony Flightstick"), was first released in Japan in April 1996. Featuring two parallel joysticks, it uses potentiometer technology previously used on consoles such as the Vectrex; instead of relying on binary eight-way switches, the controller detects minute angular changes through the entire range of motion. The stick also features a thumb-operated digital hat switch on the right joystick, corresponding to the traditional D-pad, and used for instances when simple digital movements were necessary.Template:Sfn The Analog Joystick sold poorly in Japan due to its high cost and cumbersome size.Template:Sfn

The increasing popularity of 3D games prompted Sony to add analogue sticks to its controller design to give users more freedom over their movements in virtual 3D environments.<ref name="gaydarcontrollers">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> The first official analogue controller, the Dual Analog Controller, was revealed to the public in a small glass booth at the 1996 PlayStation Expo in Japan,Template:Sfn and released in April 1997 to coincide with the Japanese releases of analogue-capable games Tobal 2 and Bushido Blade.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In addition to the two analogue sticks (which also introduced two new buttons mapped to clicking in the analogue sticks), the Dual Analog controller features an "Analog" button and LED beneath the "Start" and "Select" buttons which toggles analogue functionality on or off.<ref name=gaydarcontrollers/> The controller also features rumble support, though Sony decided that haptic feedback would be removed from all overseas iterations before the United States release.<ref name="firsts">Template:Cite web</ref> A Sony spokesman stated that the feature was removed for "manufacturing reasons", although rumours circulated that Nintendo had attempted to legally block the release of the controller outside Japan due to similarities with the Nintendo 64 controller's Rumble Pak. However, a Nintendo spokesman denied that Nintendo took legal action. Next GenerationTemplate:'s Chris Charla theorised that Sony dropped vibration feedback to keep the price of the controller down.Template:Sfn

In November 1997, Sony introduced the DualShock controller. Its name derives from its use of two (dual) vibration motors (shock).<ref name="IGNcontrollers">Template:Cite web</ref> Unlike its predecessor, its analogue sticks feature textured rubber grips, longer handles, slightly different shoulder buttons and has rumble feedback included as standard on all versions.Template:Sfn The DualShock later replaced its predecessors as the default controller.<ref name=controllersquare/>

Peripherals

PlayStation Memory Card PlayStation Memory Card	PocketStation PocketStation	Multiplayer Adaptor Multiplayer Adaptor
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PlayStation Mouse PlayStation Mouse	Link Cables Link Cables	GunCon GunCon
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Sony released a series of peripherals to add extra layers of functionality to the PlayStation. Such peripherals include memory cards,<ref name="GPro87">Template:Cite magazine</ref> the PlayStation Mouse,<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>Template:Sfn the PlayStation Link Cable,<ref name="GPro87"/> the Multiplayer Adapter (a four-player multitap),<ref name="GPro87"/> the Memory Drive (a disk drive for 3.5-inch floppy disks),<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> the GunCon (a light gun), and the Glasstron (a monoscopic head-mounted display).<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Released exclusively in Japan, the PocketStation is a memory card peripheral which acts as a miniature personal digital assistant. The device features a monochrome liquid crystal display (LCD), infrared communication capability, a real-time clock, built-in flash memory, and sound capability.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sharing similarities with the Dreamcast's VMU peripheral, the PocketStation was typically distributed with certain PlayStation games, enhancing them with added features.Template:Sfn The PocketStation proved popular in Japan, selling over five million units.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sony planned to release the peripheral outside Japan but the release was cancelled, despite receiving promotion in Europe and North America.Template:Sfn

Functionality

In addition to playing games, most PlayStation models are equipped to play audio CDs; the Asian model SCPH-5903 can also play Video CDs.Template:Sfn Like most CD players, the PlayStation can play songs in a programmed order, shuffle the playback order of the disc and repeat one song or the entire disc. Later PlayStation models use a music visualisation function called SoundScope. This function, as well as a memory card manager, is accessed by starting the console without either inserting a game or closing the CD tray, thereby accessing a graphical user interface (GUI) for the PlayStation BIOS.<ref name=edgehistory/> The GUI for the PS One and PlayStation differ depending on the firmware version: the original PlayStation GUI had a dark blue background with rainbow graffiti used as buttons, while the early PAL PlayStation and PS One GUI had a grey blocked background with two icons in the middle.Template:Sfn

PlayStation emulation is versatile and can be run on numerous modern devices.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bleem! was a commercial emulator which was released for IBM-compatible PCs and the Dreamcast in 1999. It was notable for being aggressively marketed during the PlayStation's lifetime, and was the centre of multiple controversial lawsuits filed by Sony. Bleem! was programmed in assembly language, which allowed it to emulate PlayStation games with improved visual fidelity, enhanced resolutions, and filtered textures that was not possible on original hardware.<ref name="bleem">Template:Cite web</ref> Sony sued Bleem! two days after its release, citing copyright infringement and accusing the company of engaging in unfair competition and patent infringement by allowing use of PlayStation BIOSs on a Sega console.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Bleem! were subsequently forced to shut down in November 2001.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Copy protection system

Sony was aware that using CDs for game distribution could have left games vulnerable to piracy, due to the growing popularity of CD-R and optical disc drives with burning capability. To preclude illegal copying, a proprietary process for PlayStation disc manufacturing was developed that, in conjunction with an augmented optical drive in Tiger H/E assembly, prevented burned copies of games from booting on an unmodified console. Specifically, all genuine PlayStation discs were printed with a small section of deliberate irregular data, which the PlayStation's optical pick-up was capable of detecting and decoding. Consoles would not boot game discs without a specific wobble frequency contained in the data of the disc pregap sector (the same system was also used to encode discs' regional lock-outs).Template:Sfn This signal was within Red Book CD tolerances, so PlayStation discs' actual content could still be read by a conventional disc drive; however, the disc drive could not detect the wobble frequency (therefore duplicating the discs omitting it), since the laser pick-up system of any optical disc drive would interpret this wobble as an oscillation of the disc surface and compensate for it in the reading process.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="patent">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

As the disc authenticity was only verified during booting, this copy protection system could be circumvented by swapping any genuine disc with the copied disc, while modchips could remove the protection system altogether by tricking the console into thinking the wobble is there on the pirated disc.<ref name=":0" /> Sony untruthfully suggested in advertisements that discs' unique black undersides played a role in copy protection. In reality, the black plastic used was transparent to any infrared laser and did not itself pose an obstacle to duplicators or computer CD drives, although it may have helped customers distinguish between unofficial and genuine copies.<ref name=":0" />Template:Self-published inline

Hardware problems

Early PlayStations, particularly early 1000 models, experience skipping full-motion video or physical "ticking" noises from the unit. The problems stem from poorly placed vents leading to overheating in some environments, causing the plastic mouldings inside the console to warp slightly and create knock-on effects with the laser assembly. The solution is to sit the console on a surface which dissipates heat efficiently in a well vented area or raise the unit up slightly from its resting surface.<ref name="problems">Template:Cite web</ref> Sony representatives also recommended unplugging the PlayStation when it is not in use, as the system draws in a small amount of power (and therefore heat) even when turned off.Template:Sfn

The first batch of PlayStations use a KSM-440AAM laser unit, whose case and movable parts are all built out of plastic. Over time, the plastic lens sled rail wears out—usually unevenly—due to friction. The placement of the laser unit close to the power supply accelerates wear, due to the additional heat, which makes the plastic more vulnerable to friction. Eventually, one side of the lens sled will become so worn that the laser can tilt, no longer pointing directly at the CD; after this, games will no longer load due to data read errors. Sony fixed the problem by making the sled out of die-cast metal and placing the laser unit further away from the power supply on later PlayStation models.<ref name="problems" />

Due to an engineering oversight, the PlayStation does not produce a proper signal on several older models of televisions, causing the display to flicker or bounce around the screen. Sony decided not to change the console design, since only a small percentage of PlayStation owners used such televisions, and instead gave consumers the option of sending their PlayStation unit to a Sony service centre to have an official modchip installed, allowing play on older televisions.Template:Sfn

Game library

The PlayStation featured a diverse game library which grew to appeal to all types of players. Critically acclaimed PlayStation games included Final Fantasy VII (1997), Crash Bandicoot (1996), Spyro the Dragon (1998), Metal Gear Solid (1998), all of which became established franchises. Final Fantasy VII is credited with allowing role-playing games to gain mass-market appeal outside Japan,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and is considered one of the most influential and greatest video games ever made.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The PlayStation's bestselling game is Gran Turismo (1997), which sold 10.85 million units.<ref name="granturismo" /> After the PlayStation's discontinuation in 2006, the cumulative software shipment was 962 million units.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Following its 1994 launch in Japan, early games included Ridge Racer, Crime Crackers, King's Field, Motor Toon Grand Prix, Toh Shin Den (i.e. Battle Arena Toshinden), and Kileak: The Blood. The first two games available at its later North American launch were Jumping Flash! (1995) and Ridge Racer,Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> with Jumping Flash! heralded as an ancestor for 3D graphics in console gaming.<ref name="jf">Template:Cite web</ref> Wipeout, Air Combat, Twisted Metal, Warhawk and Destruction Derby were among the popular first-year games, and the first to be reissued as part of Sony's Greatest Hits or Platinum range.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="GPro104">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

At the time of the PlayStation's first Christmas season, Psygnosis had produced around 70% of its launch catalogue;<ref name=hetherington/> their breakthrough racing game Wipeout was acclaimed for its techno soundtrack and helped raise awareness of Britain's underground music community.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Eidos Interactive's action-adventure game Tomb Raider contributed substantially to the success of the console in 1996,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with its main protagonist Lara Croft becoming an early gaming icon and garnering unprecedented media promotion.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Licensed tie-in video games of popular films were also prevalent; Argonaut Games' 2001 adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone went on to sell over eight million copies late in the console's lifespan.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Third-party developers committed largely to the console's wide-ranging game catalogue even after the launch of the PlayStation 2;Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn some of the notable exclusives in this era include Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Fear Effect 2: Retro Helix, Syphon Filter 3, C-12: Final Resistance, Dance Dance Revolution Konamix and Digimon World 3.Template:Efn

Initially, in the United States, PlayStation games were packaged in long cardboard boxes, similar to non-Japanese 3DO and Saturn games. Sony later switched to the jewel case format typically used for audio CDs and Japanese video games, as this format took up less retailer shelf space (which was at a premium due to the large number of PlayStation games being released), and focus testing showed that most consumers preferred this format.Template:Sfn

Reception

The PlayStation was mostly well received upon release. Critics in the west generally welcomed the new console; the staff of Next Generation reviewed the PlayStation a few weeks after its North American launch, where they commented that, while the CPU is "fairly average", the supplementary custom hardware, such as the GPU and sound processor, is stunningly powerful. They praised the PlayStation's focus on 3D, and complemented the comfort of its controller and the convenience of its memory cards. Giving the system 4Template:1/2 out of 5 stars, they concluded, "To succeed in this extremely cut-throat market, you need a combination of great hardware, great games, and great marketing. Whether by skill, luck, or just deep pockets, Sony has scored three out of three in the first salvo of this war."Template:Sfn Albert Kim from Entertainment Weekly praised the PlayStation as a technological marvel, rivalling that of Sega and Nintendo.<ref>Template:Cite magazineTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Famicom Tsūshin scored the console a 19 out of 40, lower than the Saturn's 24 out of 40, in May 1995.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

In a 1997 year-end review, a team of five Electronic Gaming Monthly editors gave the PlayStation scores of 9.5, 8.5, 9.0, 9.0, and 9.5—for all five editors, the highest score they gave to any of the five consoles reviewed in the issue. They lauded the breadth and quality of the games library, saying it had vastly improved over previous years due to developers mastering the system's capabilities in addition to Sony revising their stance on 2D and role playing games. They also complimented the low price point of the games compared to the Nintendo 64's, and noted that it was the only console on the market that could be relied upon to deliver a solid stream of games for the coming year, primarily due to third party developers almost unanimously favouring it over its competitors.Template:Sfn

Legacy

SCE was an upstart in the video game industry in late 1994, as the video game market in the early 1990s was dominated by Nintendo and Sega. Nintendo had been the clear leader in the industry since the introduction of the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985 and the Nintendo 64 was initially expected to maintain this position. The PlayStation's target audience included the generation which was the first to grow up with mainstream video games, along with 18- to 29-year-olds who were not the primary focus of Nintendo.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> By the late 1990s, Sony became a highly regarded console brand due to the PlayStation, with a significant lead over second-place Nintendo, while Sega was relegated to a distant third.<ref name="vs">Template:Cite web</ref>

The PlayStation became the first "computer entertainment platform" to ship over 100 million units worldwide,Template:Sfn<ref name="Sony Computer Entertainment">Template:Cite web</ref> with many critics attributing the console's success to third-party developers.<ref name=hutchinson/> It remains the sixth best-selling console of all time as of Template:Currentisoyear, with a total of 102.49 million units sold.<ref name="Sony Computer Entertainment"/> Around 7,900 individual games were published for the console during its 11-year life span, the second-most games ever produced for a console.Template:Sfn Its success resulted in a significant financial boon for Sony as profits from their video game division contributed to 23%.Template:Sfn

Sony's next-generation PlayStation 2, which is backward compatible with the PlayStation's DualShock controller and games, was announced in 1999 and launched in 2000. The PlayStation's lead in installed base and developer support paved the way for the success of its successor,<ref name="vs" /> which overcame the earlier launch of the Sega's Dreamcast and then fended off competition from Microsoft's newcomer Xbox and Nintendo's GameCube.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="pcworld1">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The PlayStation 2's immense success and failure of the Dreamcast were among the main factors which led to Sega abandoning the console market.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To date, five PlayStation home consoles have been released, which have continued the same numbering scheme, as well as two portable systems. The PlayStation 3 also maintained backward compatibility with original PlayStation discs.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hundreds of PlayStation games have been digitally re-released on the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.<ref name="initial lineup">Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The PlayStation has often ranked among the best video game consoles. In 2018, Retro Gamer named it the third best console, crediting its sophisticated 3D capabilities as one of its key factors in gaining mass success, and lauding it as a "game-changer in every sense possible".<ref name="retrolegacy">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2009, IGN ranked the PlayStation the seventh best console in their list, noting its appeal towards older audiences to be a crucial factor in propelling the video game industry, as well as its assistance in transitioning game industry to use the CD-ROM format.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Keith Stuart from The Guardian likewise named it as the seventh best console in 2020, declaring that its success was so profound it "ruled the 1990s".<ref name="guardiangood">Template:Cite web</ref>

CD format

The success of the PlayStation contributed to the demise of cartridge-based home consoles. While not the first system to use an optical disc format, it was the first highly successful one, and ended up going head-to-head with the proprietary cartridge-relying Nintendo 64,Template:Efn<ref name="pcworld1" /> which the industry had expected to use CDs like PlayStation.Template:R After the demise of the Sega Saturn, Nintendo was left as Sony's main competitor in Western markets. Nintendo chose not to use CDs for the Nintendo 64; they were likely concerned with the proprietary cartridge format's ability to help enforce copy protection, given their substantial reliance on licensing and exclusive games for their revenue.<ref name="versus">Template:Cite web</ref>

Besides their larger capacity, CD-ROMs could be produced in bulk quantities at a much faster rate than ROM cartridges, a week compared to two to three months.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>Template:Sfn Further, the cost of production per unit was far cheaper, allowing Sony to offer games about 40% lower cost to the user compared to ROM cartridges while still making the same amount of net revenue. In Japan, Sony published fewer copies of a wide variety of games for the PlayStation as a risk-limiting step, a model that had been used by Sony Music for CD audio discs. The production flexibility of CD-ROMs meant that Sony could produce larger volumes of popular games to get onto the market quickly, something that could not be done with cartridges due to their manufacturing lead time.Template:Sfn<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref>Template:R The lower production costs of CD-ROMs also allowed publishers an additional source of profit: budget-priced reissues of games which had already recouped their development costs.Template:Sfn

Tokunaka remarked in 1996: Template:Blockquote

The increasing complexity of developing games pushed cartridges to their storage limits and gradually discouraged some third-party developers. Part of the CD format's appeal to publishers was that they could be produced at a significantly lower cost and offered more production flexibility to meet demand.<ref name="pcworld1" /> As a result, some third-party developers switched to the PlayStation, including Square and Enix, whose Final Fantasy VII and Dragon Quest VII respectively had been planned for the Nintendo 64 (both companies later merged to form Square Enix).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Other developers released fewer games for the Nintendo 64 (Konami, releasing only thirteen N64 games but over fifty on the PlayStation). Nintendo 64 game releases were less frequent than the PlayStation's, with many being developed by either Nintendo themselves or second-parties such as Rare.<ref name="versus" />

PlayStation Classic

A PlayStation Classic console and controller against a pure white background.

PlayStation Classic console and controller

The PlayStation Classic is a dedicated video game console made by Sony Interactive Entertainment that emulates PlayStation games. It was announced in September 2018 at the Tokyo Game Show, and released on 3 December 2018, the 24th anniversary of the release of the original console.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Machkovech">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

As a dedicated console, the PlayStation Classic features 20 pre-installed games; the games run off the open source emulator PCSX.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The console is bundled with two replica wired PlayStation controllers (those without analogue sticks), an HDMI cable, and a USB-Type A cable.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Internally, the console uses a MediaTek MT8167a Quad A35 system on a chip with four central processing cores clocked at @ 1.5 GHz and a Power VR GE8300 graphics processing unit. It includes 16 GB of eMMC flash storage and 1 Gigabyte of DDR3 SDRAM.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The PlayStation Classic is 45% smaller than the original console.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The PlayStation Classic received negative reviews from critics and was compared unfavorably to Nintendo's rival Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition and Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition.<ref name=ignclassic>Template:Cite web</ref> Criticism was directed at its meagre game library, user interface, emulation quality, use of PAL versions for certain games, use of the original controller, and high retail price, though the console's design received praise.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The console sold poorly.<ref name=ignclassic/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

• PlayStation: The Official Magazine (PSM)
• Portable Sound Format (PSF)
• System 573

References

Sources

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