Sony Playstation Turns 15

By  |  Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 11:31 am

Sony’s Playstation is making me feel pretty old today, the 15th anniversary of its North American launch. The original Playstation console was released stateside on September 9, 1995. I remember getting one shortly before summer camp, and not wanting to be yanked away.

The milestone comes at a time in the Playstation 3’s console cycle — four years deep — that we usually start hearing about the next generation. But Sony, like its rival Microsoft, is keeping mum, and digging in for the long haul with new technology for the PS3.

One big push for Sony will be 3D, a source of excitement for the electronics industry, but also one of skepticism. The Playstation 3 is moving ahead with 3D gaming as Microsoft carefully waits for 3D adoption to grow (red-blue glasses experiments on the Xbox 360 aside), and Nintendo focuses on the glasses-free 3DS handheld.

Then, there’s motion control. The Playstation Move wand, however more accurate and capable than Nintendo’s Wii, is unquestionably “me-too” technology, and Sony’s goal of bringing motion control to enthusiast gamers is a risky undertaking. As I’ve said several times before, the starting lineup of games for Move and Microsoft’s Kinect aren’t miles ahead of what Nintendo has already done, despite the fancier technology behind them.

Regardless of whether motion control and 3D succeed, Sony has the safety net of its existing console, for which really good games are still the core business (exclusives like Demon’s Souls, Heavy Rain, Uncharted and LittleBigPlanet are among the best games I’ve played this generation). Both technologies would be a lot riskier if they were tied to the Playstation 4 — whenever it arrives —  but as extensions of the Playstation 3, they’re just part of the kitchen sink.

Usually, a new console brings a major advancement that wasn’t possible on the old hardware. For the Playstation, it was three-dimensional play, and for the Playstation 2, it was online multiplayer and the power of DVD. The Playstation 3 (and the Xbox 360) added HD graphics, more cohesive online play, downloadable content and digital distribution of games, movies and TV shows.

Add 3D and motion control, and there just isn’t a compelling argument for a new console, aside from better graphics and more processing power. Having seen the likes of Killzone 3, I’ve got no problem with the long haul.

 
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14 Comments For This Post

  1. PS3wannaBe Says:

    PS3 will win this console war in the end. It will take a few more years but also in a couple years Nintendo will release their next console.

    I do not beleive Wii will sell much more than 100 million consoles. Definitely will sell less than PS2 the record holder at 146 million and rising.

    PS3 will get up there with PS2 and i see no need for a new console as this is just now getting interesting.

    PS3 still has a lot to offer that developers haven't pushed into yet. With Move, PS3 will be around for the 10 year haul.

    Xbox should just stop making consoles, they did way better this time around than last time (only sold 30 million total compared to PS2 146 million) but the RROD was BS, pay to play online is lame, would be much better if online gaming was on the free side and the supposed exclusives are on PC, better on PC and free online play the PC way.

  2. pogowolf Says:

    Really? Wow. Someone hasn't been doing their homework have they?

  3. Renzo Says:

    Dude… The wars is already over, Nintendo WII won. Period. Get over it. We are currently at a sort of truce where all parties are preparing for the next war.

    just check this: http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/sony-s-plays

  4. PS3wannaBe Says:

    Move is the Wii HD everyone has been wanting, the 320gb PS3 move bundle has been on Amazon top 20 for a couple weeks, now top 15 along with the stand alone move bundle.

    Kinect is a joke and will help bring a demise to xbox. I'd like to see a 2 console war again, Nintendo and Sony.

  5. pogowolf Says:

    Huh? Have you not read about all the Issues that the MOVE has?

    There's never been a 2 console war.

  6. Stilgar Says:

    I bet a very high percentage of PS3 owners are also Xbox 360 owners.

    I predict that the motion control crap for PS3 will bomb. It's too expensive. $50 for a Move controller plus $40 for an eye toy, or $100 for a bundle? It's not going to sell en masse unless they make a really compelling game for it; expensive peripherals never did will until Guitar Hero and that's only because it was (is) a great game, and that just doesn't exist for PS3 move yet (or Kinect for that matter).

  7. pogowolf Says:

    Not as high as you'd think. the high percent of people seem to own a Wii as the 2nd console.

  8. Andrew from MidTN Says:

    Playstation turning 15 makes the author feel old?

    Young whippersnapper.

    I was already a teenager when I got my Sears Video Arcade (a.k.a Atari Video Commputer System, Atari 2600) nearly 33 years ago!

  9. pogowolf Says:

    33 years? wow.. that long?! O.o

  10. Ali Says:

    Kinect and move cost wayy too much for me to even consider spending my money. Although i play PS3 for online play, that's just because it's free, i think xbox is better–listen to your own music in-game and chat with anyone of your contacts (i'd add live messenger IM as another reason but thats a microsoft product but still shouldn't stop ps3 implementing the same).

  11. pogowolf Says:

    The MOVE really isn't that cheap either.. there's a few hidden costs in there.

  12. Web Maven Says:

    Xbox is a Billion dollar market for Microsoft. It is not going away and it's a fantastic console. $50 per year (now on sale for $39) is cheap for what I get. Not only online gaming but Netflix, LastFM, Twitter, Facebook, voice chat and video conference. Also many of this stuff comes with the free Live silver package. By paying the $50.00 per year (like buying a great game once per year) this ensures that MS keeps the network running smoothly.

    The Xbox Kinect looks outstanding and makes the PS3 Move and the NS system look like a joke. I do agree that the bundled game should be better and the cost should be cheaper. Just like any new console, the games will come.

    All the Xbox 360 bashing sounds like you are justifying why you got the PS3 (WOW Blue Ray I could get a player for $100 now, no longer a selling point.) In addition you have block buster games coming out like Halo Reach.

  13. rsalazar Says:

    I would like to know of a "no console system", A service that allows me to play any game any where all I need is a wireless controller and an internet connection. Where I can join clubs and even be taught by other players. My controller is my password and it only functions if I paid my fees. In this service I will be able to participate in world tournaments and contribute with ideas for improving games. How long should I wait?

  14. Axl Says:

    I recieved a playstation in 1998 for Christmas. It was awesome at the time. I eventually recieved a PS2 three years later….
    as far as the console war goes: Why bring it up? we are celebrating the 15th birthday of a gaming console that revolutionized gaming and made it what it is today!