When was the original PlayStation released in Japan and North America?
The PlayStation was released in Japan on the 3rd of December 1994 and in North America on the 9th of September 1995. It launched in Europe on the 29th of September 1995.
Questions about PlayStation (console)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who designed the original PlayStation console?
Ken Kutaragi, a Sony hardware engineer later dubbed "the Father of the PlayStation," was the primary designer of the original PlayStation. He developed the concept after Sony's failed joint venture with Nintendo and secretly worked on the console's proprietary CD-ROM system before presenting it to Sony president Norio Ohga in June 1992.
How many units did the original PlayStation sell worldwide?
The original PlayStation sold 102.49 million units worldwide, making it the first computer entertainment platform to ship over 100 million units. It remains the sixth best-selling console of all time.
What were the best-selling games on the original PlayStation?
Gran Turismo, released in 1997, is the PlayStation's bestselling game with 10.85 million units sold. Other critically acclaimed titles include Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, and Tomb Raider.
Why did the original PlayStation use CD-ROMs instead of cartridges?
Sony chose CD-ROMs because they were far cheaper and faster to manufacture than cartridges, taking a week to produce versus two to three months for cartridges. The format allowed Sony to offer games roughly 40% cheaper to consumers while maintaining the same net revenue, and it gave publishers the flexibility to quickly scale production of popular titles.
When was the original PlayStation discontinued?
Sony ceased production of the original PlayStation on the 23rd of March 2006, more than eleven years after its Japanese launch. By that point, the PlayStation 3 had debuted in the same year, and a total of more than 4,000 PlayStation games had been released with cumulative software sales of 962 million units.