Video-game enthusiasts don’t normally care too much about executive shuffling, but this week’s news that PlayStation boss Jim Ryan was retiring evoked an odd reaction: raucous cheering.
The PlayStation was launched in September 1995 and immediately blew away its competitors. Lines formed outside stores, and retailers ran out of stock as fast as they could. It’s hard to overstate just how big of a hit it was, with sales surpassing even Sony’s wildest expectations. Part of the reason was its brilliant marketing campaign, which focused on highlighting the console’s technological capabilities. Another was the fact that it used CD-ROMs instead of Nintendo game cartridges, which allowed for significantly more storage space. But perhaps the most important factor was its strong library of launch titles, including games like Gran Turismo and Tekken that helped establish PlayStation’s reputation as a home gaming powerhouse.
With the success of PlayStation came the launch of PS2, which introduced DVD support, and eventually led to the introduction of Blu-Ray in 2006. By the time the PlayStation 3 launched in 2006, consumers had already adopted DVD as the standard optical media format.
As for the name, “PlayStation” is an acronym for “Play Station,” and also represents a reference to the console’s 3D support. The original interlocking “P” and “S” logo was designed by Manabu Sakamoto, a graphic designer at Sony. His creative concept was to intertwine the initials to symbolize unity and convergence in gaming. The design was a success and it has since become the emblem of PlayStation.