December 3rd 1994 - The PlayStation One Debuts in Japan Do we all know the story? The story that the

December 3rd 1994 - The PlayStation One Debuts in Japan Do we all know the story? The story that the PlayStation started off as a CD-ROM attachment for the SNES? And that after contract negotiations broke down Sony decided to put their work and effort into making a competitor to Nintendo? Well that’s what happened. The project was lead by Ken Kutaragi who would later be nicknamed the “Father of the PlayStation” and would go on to be CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment. The PlayStation was seen as a risky move for Sony. They were competing with Nintendo and Sega who were dominating the console market. Even, Atari was still making consoles when the PS1 was released. It was uncertain how Sony would compete especially since they were trying a new format, CD’s, for game play. They were also releasing two weeks after the Sega Saturn. But you don’t get to be Sony, especially the Sony of the 90s, without taking risks. The PlayStation would go on to sell 102 million units during its lifetime. Sony did it’s part to establish itself as a console for adults. Their mascot, Crash Bandicoot, was edgy and seen in america holding a bullhorn and yelling at people in public.  Critical reception was exteremely favorable. Gampro wrote many video game companies [feel] that in the near future, the video game platforms to contend with will be from Nintendo, Sega… and Sony.“ The 5th console generation (PS1, N64, Saturn) was the first time I bought a console with my own money. The first time it was up to me to pick a side. And despite having owned the two prior Nintendo consoles I bought a PlayStation, because that’s what my friends were buying. It’s interesting looking at the console landscape in 1994 and comparing it to the next generation. Atari was gone, Sega was almost dead, Nintendo was going strong but bad things were coming their way, and Microsoft entered the fight. Sony was successful with the PS1, but the PS2 absolutely dominated the GameCube and the Xbox. It solidified the PlayStation brand and where moms and grand parents around the the world used to call all video game systems "Nintendos” they started calling all video game systems “PlayStations”. -- source link

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