PlayStation (1994): The Console Born From a Broken Nintendo Deal
Sony's first console launched in Japan on December 3, 1994 and moved gaming to CDs and 3D.
The PlayStation began as a partnership. In the early 1990s Sony was working with Nintendo on a CD-ROM add-on for the Super Famicom. When that deal collapsed, Sony engineer Ken Kutaragi pushed the company to build its own console.
Launch
The PlayStation launched in Japan on December 3, 1994, and in North America and Europe in 1995.
Why it won
- CDs were cheaper to make than cartridges and held far more data, attracting publishers.
- Strong 3D hardware for the time.
- Third-party support, including Square's move to PlayStation with Final Fantasy VII.
- Marketing aimed at teenagers and adults, not just children.
Legacy
The PlayStation became the first home console to pass 100 million units shipped, and it established Sony as a gaming giant. Six console generations later, PlayStation remains one of the industry's defining brands.
Reference: Wikipedia, PlayStation (console) and Ken Kutaragi.