PlayStation Consoles, Games and Accessories

The first of the PlayStation family, the original PlayStation (we’ll call it the PS1) was released in 1995. Up against the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn, it was the first ‘computer entertainment platform’ to ship 100 million units.

Although it released in 1995, its origins go back almost a decade to 1986, when Nintendo was attempting to create a disc-based console as a follow-up to the NES. Unfortunately the Famicon Disk System had a lot of problems due to a lack of copy-protection on the software, as well as poor durability (the discs were easy to erase).

Sony and Philips had worked together to create a new disc format that had neither of these problems, as well as other technical improvements, so Nintendo asked them to create an add-on for the Super Nintendo known as the SNES-CD. (Part of this deal was due to Nintendo’s prior business with Ken Kutaragi, who had recommended the sound chip that was used in the Super Nintendo. Kutaragi was almost fired from Sony because of his ‘side-business’ with Nintendo, but luckily for him, Sony’s CEO kept him on board.)

Eventually Nintendo cancelled the project, but Sony decided to take what they had learned and use it to create their own console – one that could play Super Nintendo games, but also use the SNES-CD format. When Nintendo CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi examined the contract, he realised that it gave Sony complete control over any games released on the SNES-CD format, and cancelled the Nintendo/Sony partnership, partnering with Philips instead. Sony then tried to partner with Sega as a result, but the idea never took off.

Deciding to strike out on their own, Sony created the Play Station (with the extra space), which led Nintendo to file an injunction against them on the grounds that they already owned the Play Station name. This injunction was denied, and Sony continued to develop their new console, even negotiating a new contract with Nintendo for the console to have Super Nintendo compatibility (with Nintendo retaining the control over their games this time).

Although this agreement was reached, Sony then decided to drop Super Nintendo support altogether (as well as the space in Play Station), and concentrated on developing newer hardware and software with 3D polygon support instead of using 2D sprites, resulting in the console as we know it today.

The PS1 (and its redesigned PSOne version) managed to sell for almost a decade, reaching over 100 million units and tripling the efforts of the Nintendo 64 as well as effortlessly surpassing the Sega Saturn’s 9.5 million units.