Editing PlayStation (console) (section)

==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>{{cite news|last=Goodfellow|first=Kris|title=Sony Comes on Strong in Video-Game War|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/25/business/sony-comes-on-strong-in-video-game-war.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=[[New York City]]|date=25 May 1998|access-date=18 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308104046/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/25/business/sony-comes-on-strong-in-video-game-war.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm|archive-date=8 March 2016|url-status=live}}</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">{{cite web|last1=Langshaw|first1=Mark|title=Sony PlayStation vs Nintendo 64: Gaming's Greatest Rivalries|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a443707/sony-playstation-vs-nintendo-64-gamings-greatest-rivalries.html|date=9 December 2012|website=[[Digital Spy]]|publisher=[[Hearst Communications]]|location=[[New York City]]|access-date=19 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140820110224/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/gaming/news/a443707/sony-playstation-vs-nintendo-64-gamings-greatest-rivalries.html|archive-date=20 August 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

The PlayStation became the first "computer entertainment platform" to ship over 100&nbsp;million units worldwide,{{sfn|McFerran|2015|p=9}}<ref name="Sony Computer Entertainment">{{cite web|url=http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataps_e.html|title=PlayStation Cumulative Production Shipments of Hardware|access-date=31 October 2013|publisher=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]]|location=[[Tokyo]]|url-status=dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110524023857/http://www.scei.co.jp/corporate/data/bizdataps_e.html|archive-date = 24 May 2011}}</ref> with many critics attributing the console's success to third-party developers.<ref name=hutchinson/> It remains the [[List of best-selling game consoles|sixth best-selling console of all time]] as of {{currentisoyear}}, with a total of 102.49&nbsp;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.{{sfn|McFerran|2015|p=9}} Its success resulted in a significant financial boon for Sony as profits from their video game division contributed to 23%.{{sfn|Asakura|2000|p=10}}

Sony's next-generation [[PlayStation 2]], which is [[backward compatibility|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 (console)|Xbox]] and Nintendo's [[GameCube]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/7.html |title=PlayStation is number 7 |website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[Ziff Davis]]|location=[[Chicago]] |access-date=27 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113091647/http://www.ign.com/top-25-consoles/7.html |archive-date=13 November 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="pcworld1">{{cite magazine |author=McKinley Noble|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/171127/5_biggest_game_console_battles.html |title=5 Biggest Game Console Battles |magazine=PCWorld |date=31 August 2009 |access-date=27 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528214653/http://www.pcworld.com/article/171127/5_biggest_game_console_battles.html |archive-date=28 May 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Edwards |first1=Cliff |title=Sega Vs. Sony: Pow! Biff! Whack! |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2000-12-17/sega-vs-dot-sony-pow-biff-whack |website=[[Bloomberg News]] |access-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220123061235/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2000-12-17/sega-vs-dot-sony-pow-biff-whack |archive-date=23 January 2022 |location=[[New York City]] |date=18 December 2000 |url-status=live}}</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>{{cite web|last=Whitehead |first=Dan |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/dreamcast-a-forensic-retrospective-article |title=Dreamcast: A Forensic Retrospective |website=[[Eurogamer]]|publisher=[[Future plc]]|location=[[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] |date=9 September 2019 |access-date=30 October 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141015103108/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/dreamcast-a-forensic-retrospective-article |archive-date=15 October 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/ten-greatest-years-gaming/ |title=The ten greatest years in gaming |work=Edge |date=27 June 2006 |access-date=5 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022221114/http://www.edge-online.com/features/ten-greatest-years-gaming/ |archive-date=22 October 2014}}</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>{{cite web |last1=Thorsen |first1=Tor |title=PlayStation 3 not 100 percent backward compatible? |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-3-not-100-percent-backward-compatible/1100-6136677/ |website=[[GameSpot]] |publisher=[[Red Ventures]]|location=[[Indian Land, South Carolina|Indian Land]]|access-date=31 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421191509/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-3-not-100-percent-backward-compatible/1100-6136677/|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 April 2021 |date=27 October 2005}}</ref> Hundreds of [[Lists of downloadable PlayStation games|PlayStation games have been digitally re-released]] on the [[PlayStation Portable]], PlayStation 3, [[PlayStation Vita]], [[PlayStation 4]], and [[PlayStation 5]].<ref name="initial lineup">{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/joystiq-guide-psone-downloads-hit-the-psp-by-way-of-the-ps3/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205003829/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/06/joystiq-guide-psone-downloads-hit-the-psp-by-way-of-the-ps3/| archive-date=5 February 2016|title=Joystiq Guide: PSone downloads hit the PSP (by way of the PS3)|first=Christopher|last=Grant|publisher=[[AOL]]|work=[[Engadget]]|location=[[New York City]]|date=6 December 2006|access-date=20 September 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://blog.playstation.com/2022/03/29/all-new-playstation-plus-launches-in-june-with-700-games-and-more-value-than-ever/ | title = All-new PlayStation Plus launches in June with 700+ games and more value than ever | first = Jim | last = Ryan | date = March 29, 2022 | accessdate = March 29, 2022 | work = [[PlayStation Blog]] | archive-date = March 29, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220329181157/https://blog.playstation.com/2022/03/29/all-new-playstation-plus-launches-in-june-with-700-games-and-more-value-than-ever/ | url-status = live }}</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">{{cite web |date=25 December 2018 |title=The 30 best video game consoles and systems of all time |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/best-video-game-console-system-of-all-time/4/ |website=[[GamesRadar]] |publisher=[[Future plc]]|access-date=6 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101013728/https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/best-video-game-console-system-of-all-time/4/ |archive-date=1 November 2020 |location=[[Bath, Somerset|Bath]]|url-status=usurped|language=en}}</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>{{cite web |title=Top 25 Video Game Consoles |url=https://www.ign.com/lists/top-25-consoles/7 |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=6 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180707172446/https://www.ign.com/lists/top-25-consoles/7 |archive-date=7 July 2018 |location=[[Chicago]] |language=en |date=21 July 2009}}</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">{{cite web |last1=Stuart |first1=Keith |title=The 25 greatest video game consoles – ranked! |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/jul/16/the-25-greatest-video-game-consoles-ranked |website=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=6 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105082500/https://www.theguardian.com/games/2020/jul/16/the-25-greatest-video-game-consoles-ranked |archive-date=5 January 2021 |location=[[London]] |date=16 July 2020}}</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,{{efn|The [[Nintendo 64]] was the last major home console to use [[ROM cartridge|cartridges]] as its primary storage format until the [[Nintendo Switch]] in 2017.<ref>{{cite web | last=Frank | first=Allegra | title=Nintendo Switch Will Use Cartridges | website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] | publisher=[[Vox Media]] | location=[[Washington DC]] | date=20 October 2016 | access-date=25 October 2017 | url=http://www.polygon.com/2016/10/20/13344618/nintendo-switch-nx-games-cartridges | archive-date=20 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161020142412/http://www.polygon.com/2016/10/20/13344618/nintendo-switch-nx-games-cartridges | url-status=live }}</ref>}}<ref name="pcworld1" /> which the industry had expected to use CDs like PlayStation.{{r|maher20231208}} 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 [[Nintendo 64 Game Pak#Copy protection|copy protection]], given their substantial reliance on [[licensing]] and exclusive games for their revenue.<ref name="versus">{{cite web |title=The Game: PlayStation vs N64 |url=https://www.forbes.com/1997/09/19/feat.html |website=[[Forbes]]|date=19 September 1997 |access-date=18 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084533/http://www.forbes.com/1997/09/19/feat.html |archive-date=19 August 2014 |url-status=live}}</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>{{cite journal | title = Hardware gimmick or cultural innovation? Technological, cultural, and social foundations of the Japanese video game industry | first1 = Yuko | last1 = Aoyama | first2= Hiro  |last2= Izushi | journal = [[Research Policy]] | volume = 32 | issue =3 | date = 2003 | pages = 423–444 |  doi = 10.1016/S0048-7333(02)00016-1 | issn = 0048-7333 }}</ref>{{sfn|Asakura|2000|p=103}} 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.{{sfn|Asakura|2000|pp=103, 105}}<ref>{{cite conference | last1 = Tomaselli | first1 = Fernando Claro | first2= Luiz Carlos | last2= Di Serio | first3 = Luciel Henrique | last3= de Oliveira | title = Value chain management and competitive strategy in the home video game industry | conference= 19th Annual Conference POMS | date= 2008 }}</ref>{{r|maher20231208}} 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.{{sfn|Lundrigan|1996|p=9}}

Tokunaka remarked in 1996: {{blockquote|Choosing CD-ROM is one of the most important decisions that we made. As I'm sure you understand, PlayStation could just as easily have worked with masked ROM [cartridges]. The 3D engine and everything—the whole PlayStation format—is independent of the media. But for various reasons (including the economies for the consumer, the ease of the manufacturing, inventory control for the trade, and also the software publishers) we deduced that CD-ROM would be the best media for PlayStation.{{sfn|Lundrigan|1996|p=9}} }}

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 (video game company)|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>{{cite web |title=Dragon Quest VII To Appear On PlayStation |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/01/15/dragon-quest-vii-to-appear-on-playstation |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=7 March 2022|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307200025/https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/01/15/dragon-quest-vii-to-appear-on-playstation |archive-date=7 March 2022 |location=[[Chicago]] |language=en |date=15 January 1997 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=McFerran |first1=Damien |title=Nintendo Apparently Told Square "Never Come Back" After Losing Final Fantasy VII To Sony |url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/nintendo_apparently_told_square_never_come_back_after_losing_final_fantasy_vii_to_sony |website=[[Nintendo Life]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |access-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224162141/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/01/nintendo_apparently_told_square_never_come_back_after_losing_final_fantasy_vii_to_sony |archive-date=24 February 2022 |location=[[Brighton]] |date=11 January 2017 |url-status=live}}</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 (company)|Rare]].<ref name="versus" />

===PlayStation Classic===
{{main|PlayStation Classic}}
[[File:PlayStation Classic Konsole + Controller (transparenter Hintergrund).png|thumb|right|[[PlayStation Classic]] console and controller|alt=A PlayStation Classic console and controller against a pure white background.]]
The PlayStation Classic is a [[Dedicated console|dedicated video game console]] made by [[Sony Interactive Entertainment]] that [[Video game console emulator|emulates]] PlayStation games. It was announced in September&nbsp;2018 at the [[Tokyo Game Show]], and released on 3 December 2018, the 24th anniversary of the release of the original console.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stewart|first1=Keith|title=Sony announces PlayStation Classic mini console|url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/sep/19/sony-announces-playstation-classic-mini-console|work=[[The Guardian]]|location=[[London]]|date=19 September 2018|access-date=19 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919100921/https://www.theguardian.com/games/2018/sep/19/sony-announces-playstation-classic-mini-console|archive-date=19 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Machkovech">{{Cite news|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/09/sony-joins-the-classic-console-fray-with-99-playstation-classic-on-dec-3/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211001/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/09/sony-joins-the-classic-console-fray-with-99-playstation-classic-on-dec-3/| archive-date=1 October 2021|title=Sony joins the classic-console fray with $99 PlayStation Classic on Dec. 3|last=Machkovech|first=Sam|website=[[Ars Technica]]|publisher=[[Condé Nast]]|location=[[New York City]]|date=19 September 2018|access-date=19 September 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

As a dedicated console, the PlayStation Classic features 20 pre-installed games; the games run off the open source emulator [[PCSX]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kohler |first1=Chris |title=PlayStation Classic Plays Fine, But It's A Bare-Bones Experience |url=https://kotaku.com/playstation-classic-plays-fine-but-it-s-a-bare-bones-e-1830294616 |website=[[Kotaku]] |date=8 November 2018 |publisher=[[Univision Communications]] |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111012108/https://kotaku.com/playstation-classic-plays-fine-but-it-s-a-bare-bones-e-1830294616 |archive-date=11 January 2020 |location=[[Los Angeles]] |language=en-us}}</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>{{cite web |last1=Dornbush |first1=Jonathan |title=PlayStation Classic Will Support Smartphone AC USB Adaptors, Will Not Support Other PS Peripherals |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/09/22/playstation-classic-will-support-smartphone-ac-usb-adaptors-will-not-support-other-ps-peripherals |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227155324/https://ca.ign.com/articles/2018/09/22/playstation-classic-will-support-smartphone-ac-usb-adaptors-will-not-support-other-ps-peripherals |archive-date=27 February 2020 |location=[[Chicago]] |language=en |date=22 September 2018}}</ref> Internally, the console uses a [[MediaTek]] MT8167a Quad [[Cortex-A35|A35]] [[system on a chip]] with four central processing cores clocked at @ 1.5&nbsp;[[GHz]] and a [[PowerVR#Series8XE (Rogue)|Power VR GE8300]] graphics processing unit. It includes 16&nbsp;GB of eMMC flash storage and 1&nbsp;Gigabyte of [[DDR3 SDRAM]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Leadbetter |first1=Richard |title=PlayStation Classic teardown: what's inside Sony's new micro-console? |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2018-playstation-mini-teardown |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806201924/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2018-playstation-mini-teardown |archive-date=6 August 2020 |location=[[Bath, Somerset|Bath]] |language=en |date=28 November 2018}}</ref> The PlayStation Classic is 45% smaller than the original console.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lee |first1=Jess |title=Sony unveils PlayStation Classic console with 20 games |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/a866526/sony-playstation-classic-announced-games-price-release-date/ |website=[[Digital Spy]]|publisher=[[Hearst Communications]]|location=[[New York City]] |access-date=23 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809152744/https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/a866526/sony-playstation-classic-announced-games-price-release-date/ |archive-date=9 August 2020 |date=19 September 2018}}</ref>

The PlayStation Classic received negative reviews from critics and was compared unfavorably to Nintendo's rival [[NES Classic Edition|Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition]] and [[Super NES Classic Edition|Super Nintendo Entertainment System Classic Edition]].<ref name=ignclassic>{{cite web |last1=Ogilvie |first1=Tristan |title=PlayStation Classic Review |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/27/playstation-classic-review |website=[[IGN]] |publisher=[[Ziff Davis]] |access-date=29 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820095409/https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/11/27/playstation-classic-review |archive-date=20 August 2021 |location=[[Chicago]] |language=en |date=27 November 2018|url-status=live}}</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>{{cite web |last1=Bouman |first1=Amber |title=Why is the PlayStation Classic so unpopular? |url=https://www.engadget.com/2019-06-21-playstation-classic-user-review-roundup.html |website=[[Engadget]] |publisher=[[Verizon Media]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907002534/https://www.engadget.com/2019-06-21-playstation-classic-user-review-roundup.html |archive-date=7 September 2020 |location=[[New York City]] |language=en |date=21 June 2019}}</ref> The console sold poorly.<ref name=ignclassic/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Schreier |first1=Jason |title=PlayStation Classic Gets Huge Price Cut, Which Says A Lot |url=https://kotaku.com/playstation-classic-gets-huge-price-cut-which-says-a-l-1831338278 |website=[[Kotaku]] |publisher=[[Univision Communications]] |access-date=29 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210422002005/https://kotaku.com/playstation-classic-gets-huge-price-cut-which-says-a-l-1831338278 |archive-date=22 April 2021 |location=[[Los Angeles]] |language=en-us |date=27 December 2018}}</ref>