The history of the PlayStation begins in 1988 when Sony and Nintendo  were working together to develop the Super Disc. The Super Disc was going to be a CD-ROM attachment that was intended to be part of Nintendo's soon to be released Super Nintendo game. However, Sony and Nintendo parted ways business-wise and the Super Disc was never introduced or used by Nintendo. In 1991, Sony used a modified version of the Super Disk as part of their new game console -  the Sony PlayStation. Research and development for the PlayStation had began in 1990, headed by Sony engineer, Ken Kutaragi.

Only two hundred models of the first PlayStation (that could play Super Nintendo game cartridges) were manufactured by Sony. The original PlayStation was designed as a multi-media and multi-purpose entertainment unit. Besides being able to play Super Nintendo games, the PlayStation could play audio CDs and could read CDs with computer and video information as well. In 1994, the new PlayStation X (PSX) was released that was no longer compatible with Nintendo game cartridges and only played CD-ROM based games. A smart move that soon made PlayStations the best selling game console.

The eventual PlayStation (abbreviated PS, PSone, PS1, or PSX due to its internal code name PlayStation Experimental) is a 32-bit fifth generation video game console released by Sony Computer Entertainment in September 1995.

The PlayStation was the first of the ubiquitous PlayStation series of console and handheld game devices. which was first created and released in Japan. On March 31 2005, the PlayStation and PS one reached a combined total of 102.49 million units shipped, becoming the first video game console to reach the 100 million mark. As of July 20, 2008, the PlayStation has sold 102 million units. Sony ceased production of the PlayStation on March 23, 2006, over 11 years since it was first produced.

The PlayStation retailed for $299

Technical Specs:
CPU: 32-bit RISC (33.9MHz)
RAM: 2MB, 1MB Video RAM
Graphics: 3D Geometry Engine, with 2D rotation, scaling, transparency and fading and 3D texture mapping and shading
Colours: 16.7 million
Sprites: 4,000
Polygons: 360,000 per second
Resolution: 640x480
Sound: 16-bit 24 channel PCM
Best-selling game: Gran Turismo, 10.85 million shipped (as of April 30 2008)

The successor was the PlayStation2.

Manufacturer: Sony
Date: 29th September 1995

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH4032. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.