Where were you 20 years ago?
I was in Tokyo, already enjoying my PlayStation as it had launched over nine months earlier in Japan, December 3, 1994, and I am sure I was still chasing the final black racer in Ridge well into 1995. By the time the PlayStation launched in North America on 9/9/95, I was splitting my time between Tekken and Battle Arena Toshinden and trying to get a US copy of ESPN Street Games (incidentally, the first game I worked on at SCEI to localize for the Japanese market.)
Those were exciting and pioneering times for all of us: new technology, the arcade experience in the home, and no guarantee that we would still be around come the turn of the century –- or sooner. Exciting times indeed.
But we did make it. And thanks to the dedication and passion of the greatest gaming community of all time, the PlayStation Nation, we are celebrating the twentieth birthday of the original PlayStation system, which officially launched in North America on September 9th, 1995. At its launch, PlayStation was a stylish, powerful, developer-friendly game console that popularized polygonal 3D graphics and CD playback of games and music.
Will you be playing any classic PlayStation games today to celebrate? I’m going to fire up my PS3 and see if I have retained any of my wipEout anti-grav skills. Damn that game was rock hard, and it still has the best soundtrack ever.
If you want to share your celebration of the twentieth anniversary with your fellow gamers, I’m also pleased to announce the launch of a 20th Anniversary SHAREfactory theme which will be available today for free on PlayStation Store in North America.
Before I go, I wanted to point out that PlayStation.Blog is celebrating PlayStation’s big 2-0 today and tomorrow, so keep your eyes peeled. Look out for a tough-as-nails trivia quiz, a video unboxing of the original PlayStation, and a chance for PlayStation fans to officially name the best PlayStation game of all time.
U R NOT e
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20th Anniversary DualShock 4 PlayStation.com |
20th Anniversary Wireless Headset PlayStation.com |
Congrats Shawn and the rest of the PlayStation team!
20 years ago I was probably browsing through my local KB Toys when I happened upon a PS1 demo station. Blown away by the graphics at the time and the freedom of movement in games like Battle Arena Toshinden I knew this was the start of a new era of gaming. Glad you’ve come this far and can’t wait to see what’s next :-)
I believe it was KMart for me. :p
The PS1 is so amazing I can’t believe we still can’t play it on PS4.
I remember being at EPCOT Center’s Innovations and playing with the PS1 for a while. I played Spyro and was pretty confused about the freedom of the map. I remember I couldn’t understand that concept of “not having to always move forward” yet… I ended up going with a Dreamcast and then eventually Shenmue and Phantasy Star Online changed my point of view. After the Dreamcast imploded I bought a PS2 and from that moment on I kept purchasing ever Sony system until today. Congratulations on making Video Game history for 20 years.
Yes Paulogy, it was amazing for it’s time and is still amazing today–then came PS2 and the famed ‘backward compatibility’ which was a big selling point. The first PS3, of which I own 2, was likewise backward compatible–then came the news that Sony was stopping that feature hence my 2nd PS3 was not backwards compatible! What’s going on?
NOW the competition, Microsoft X-box, is coming out with–you guessed it–BACKWARD COMPATIBLIITY!! Which was once the sole provenance of Sony is now being picked up by X-box and this feature will sell them a LOT of units. Why did Sony drop the ball on this feature only to have it shoved in their face today by the competition? In the console wars this is a big win for X-box and it comes, very sadly, at Sony’s expense.
So as much as I loved the PS1 which drew me into the PS2 whose backward compatibility sold me as I didn’t have to give up my PS1 games, then they drop it. Why? Bring it back so we can enjoy ALL games on the PS4–and when you do then I’ll be first in line to buy one.