PlayStation at 30: the console that made video games cool

Launched in Japan in December 1994, the record-breaking PlayStation started out as a CD add-on for the Super Nintendo – but ended up ushering video games into a new era all on its own

If you were an obsessive video game fan in the summer of 1994, you’ll remember where you were when Edge magazine’s August issue dropped. By then, Sony had already announced its intention to develop the PlayStation console – the previous October – but it was the cover feature in the world’s most forward-looking game publication that really blew open the possibilities of the machine. As well as listing its specifications in full, Edge secured enthusiastic statements of support from Capcom, Namco and Konami. One breathless developer told the mag: “It’s going to revolutionise the way computers are at the moment.” Suddenly, the whole structure of the console games business was being threatened. All it needed was a push.

Sony’s entry into the video game industry has become the stuff of legend (and probably, one day, the stuff of a passable Netflix movie). In the late 1980s, the company was keen to get a foothold in an increasingly profitable business after the failure of its MSX games computer, so when the chance came up to build a CD-Rom drive for the soon-to-be-released Super Nintendo (SNES) console, Sony leapt at it. In the background, however, Sony’s engineering genius Ken Kutaragi, was also designing a standalone system, the PlayStation, capable of playing SNES games as well as a new CD format that Sony itself would control.

Topics

AI won't replace humans making games, PlayStation boss says

The gaming giant's joint CEOs reflect on its past and future as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.
BBC News - 17h
Critical Role May Expand Into Video Games

In March 2025, the Critical Role team will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their wildly popular live play series that led to an independent media empire that includes The Legend of Vox Machina ...
GameSpot - 16h
PlayStation Boss Says AI Can "Revolutionize" Gaming But The Human Element Remains Vital

According to one of the top bosses at PlayStation, the rise in artificial intelligence technologies in game development has the potential to "revolutionize" gaming, but only as a tool that assists ...
GameSpot - 15h
PlayStation Portal 30th Anniversary Edition Restocked On Cyber Monday

PlayStation Portal - 30th Anniversary Edition ...
GameSpot - 1d
Nintendo Switch 2 'Leak' Could Offer A Very Blurry First-Look At The Console

A low-quality video of what appears to be a Nintendo Switch 2 has emerged, prompting fan speculation over the as-yet-unseen console and the validity of this footage.. The video was posted on ...
GameSpot - 1d
Here's How Many PS2s Sony Made In Its Lifetime

The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time, and now the exact number of units produced has been confirmed by a former PlayStation executive.. Over on Twitter , an image was floating ...
GameSpot - 1d
How Chairish Made the Circular Economy Work for Secondhand Furniture

The home furnishings marketplace has nailed the formula for scalability in a tricky category.
Inc. - 1d
How a Buzzy Startup Made the iPhone of Beehives to Protect Pollinators

Beewise’s AI and robotics-powered BeeHome has the potential to fortify the global food supply by keeping bees healthy.
Inc. - 1d