Source: Photo by Andrzej Jarzebowski

The PlayStation Turns 25

"U R not e" (ready)

If you were a gamer in the United States back in 1995, perhaps you'll recognize this curious slogan that dropped for the initial release of the Sony PlayStation, a saying that asked whether we were prepared for the release of a gaming console this ground-breaking, this "hype." Back then, we were blown away by the massive jump in technological advancements that Sony brought into our homes, and continuing that tradition with the announcement of the 5th iteration of the console to be released in 2020, the brand name continues to set new benchmarks for all others to strive toward.

Tuesday, December 3rd, marked the 25th Anniversary of the Sony PlayStation, one of the most popular gaming consoles in modern times. It's been nothing but an amazing 25 years of all the ground-breaking, electronic creativity that could possibly fit in a box.

Although Western regions still have to wait until next September (NA/EU) or November (AU) before they can technically celebrate the 25th Anniversary, current Sony PlayStation President and CEO, Jim Ryan, published a nice thank you to fans:

On December 3, 1994 – 25 years ago this week – the first PlayStation made its global debut in Japan. Starting from a humble beginning as an upstart within Sony, Ken Kutaragi and team delivered on a vision to elevate video games as a form of entertainment that everyone could enjoy, and to make a platform for game developers to express their creativity. The original PlayStation sold 100,000 units in Japan on its first day and went on to become the first-ever home console to surpass 100 million units sold globally. [...]

Over the past 25 years, PlayStation has stood at the forefront of gaming, and I’m honored to have been a part of the team since the early days. As I was helping set up the business in Europe, I remember having to start from scratch with many things, from hiring employees to ordering furniture. Back then, we focused on catering to local markets to ensure that a gamer in Poland would feel a part of the broader PlayStation community just as much as someone in the UK, or Japan, or the U.S. Supported by passionate fans all around the world, our business has grown significantly and our focus on community is more important than ever.

President and CEO, SIE, Jim Ryan, on PlayStation Blog.

For a project that almost didn't happen due to a fall-out with Nintendo during the development of a new CD-based system, the longevity of the PlayStation has proven that it can continuously come out on top over its competitors and win the hearts of gamers around the world. According to Sony, the PlayStation has sold over 1.5 billion units.

(Click or tap on image below to see it larger:)

Source: Sony Interactive Entertainment

Every PlayStation console release has also championed several hard-hitting franchises such as Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider, and Gran Turisomo just to name a few, pushing more and more development companies to the limit. But whether individual games sink or float, the PlayStation itself will likely still be around, asking us just one question curious question:

R U e?
Why, yes, we are!

* The PlayStation®5 is scheduled for a Q4 2020 release.

By - Terra Dragos.

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