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On December 3rd, 1994, the Sony PlayStation released in Japan. At the time, Sony’s entrance into the video game industry was anything but a sure thing. Nintendo and Sega were in the midst of the console wars, and Sony’s system was initially designed as an add-on for the Super Nintendo. Disagreements between the two led Sony to strike out on its own, and the results speak for themselves. The original PlayStation went on to become one of the most successful video game consoles of all-time. Hard as it might be to believe, that was now 25 years ago. To commemorate the anniversary, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan issued a statement from the company.
“On December 3, 1994 – 25 years ago this week – the first PlayStation made its global debut in Japan. Starting from a humble beginning as an upstart within Sony, Ken Kutaragi and team delivered on a vision to elevate video games as a form of entertainment that everyone could enjoy, and to make a platform for game developers to express their creativity. The original PlayStation sold 100,000 units in Japan on its first day and went on to become the first-ever home console to surpass 100 million units sold globally.
We struck a chord with the gaming community because PlayStation offered experiences beyond what anyone could ever imagine was possible with a home console. From the very start, we opened our arms to developers, providing them with the tools and technology to create beautiful, expansive worlds, and to experiment with new ideas. That approach led to the diversity of games PlayStation is known for, a true hallmark for our brand across multiple generations of hardware platforms.
Over the past 25 years, PlayStation has stood at the forefront as gaming, and I’m honored to have been a part of the team since the early days. As I was helping set up the business in Europe, I remember having to start from scratch with many things, from hiring employees to ordering furniture. Back then, we focused on catering to local markets to ensure that a gamer in Poland would feel a part of the broader PlayStation community just as much as someone in the UK, or Japan, or the U.S. Supported by passionate fans all around the world, our business has grown significantly and our focus on community is more important than ever.
It’s truly humbling to see fans who grew up on PlayStation passing down their love of gaming to their children, who are now playing on PS4. On behalf of all of us at PlayStation – thank you for taking this journey with us.
We can’t wait to celebrate what comes next with you!”
The original PlayStation served as host to some of the greatest video games ever released. To name but a few, titles like Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy VII and Silent Hill left an unforgettable impact on the industry. As a result, the PlayStation brand remains one of the absolute strongest in the video game industry to this day.
At this time, it doesn’t appear that Sony has further plans to celebrate this impressive milestone. Last year, the company did release the PlayStation Classic console, a retro offering that boasted 20 pre-loaded games. Sadly, the PlayStation Classic failed to live-up to the legacy of the original system that inspired it, thanks to a number of bizarre choices, from the included controller to the pre-loaded games. As a result, the system was heavily discounted at a number of retailers. Fortunately, some of the PlayStation’s greatest games have been made available in a number of formats on different consoles. Those who want to experience the best the system had to offer shouldn’t have to look far.
What are your fondest memories of the original PlayStation? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!