Who created the PlayStation and why did Sony enter the video game market?
Ken Kutaragi, a Sony hardware executive later dubbed "The Father of the PlayStation", created the PlayStation. Sony's entry into gaming was triggered by Nintendo's decision to break a joint CD-ROM partnership the morning after Sony unveiled a Super Famicom with a built-in CD-ROM drive at the Consumer Electronics Show in June 1991. Sony President Norio Ohga responded to the public humiliation by tasking Kutaragi with developing a rival console.
When was the original PlayStation released and how many units did it sell?
The original PlayStation was released in Japan on the 3rd of December 1994 and worldwide the following year. By December 2003, the PlayStation and its successor the PS one had together shipped 102.49 million units, eventually becoming the first video game console to sell 120 million units total.
What is the best-selling PlayStation console of all time?
The PlayStation 2 is the best-selling console of all time, having sold over 155 million units as of the 28th of December 2012. It also became the fastest game console to reach 100 million units shipped, achieving that milestone within 5 years and 9 months of its launch.
What new features did the PlayStation 5 introduce over the PlayStation 4?
The PlayStation 5, released worldwide on the 12th of November 2020, introduced a custom SSD for faster loading, a GPU supporting hardware-accelerated ray tracing, and the DualSense controller with adaptive triggers and haptic feedback via voice coil actuators. The console is also backward-compatible with most PlayStation 4 and PlayStation VR games.
How many active users does the PlayStation Network have?
The PlayStation Network had over 103 million active users monthly as of December 2019. The service launched in 2006 alongside the PlayStation 3 and later expanded to the PSP, PS Vita, PS4, and PS5.
What happened to the PlayStation Vita and why was it discontinued?
The PlayStation Vita was discontinued in March 2019. SIE president Jim Ryan acknowledged it was a great device but stated that Sony had moved away from the portable console business. The Vita launched in Japan on the 17th of December 2011 and featured a 5-inch OLED touchscreen, two analog sticks, and a rear touchpad.