Page 16 - Games
P. 16
THE TIMES ®
AUSTRALIA
SONY PLAYSTATION/PS1
Released: 1994 (JP), 1995 (EU, US, AUS)
Price: $299
Sales: approx. 102 million units
Spawns: PlayStation 2 (2000), PlayStation 3 (2006/2007), PlayStation 4 (2013/2014)
The frst origins of PlayStation hark back to the of a Sony-Nintendo partnership, Nintendo re-
mid-80s when Sony and Phillips developed CD- vealed they were now partnered with Phillips.
ROM XA, an extension of the CD game format Unbeknownst to Sony, Nintendo had fown to
which couldn’t be erased or compromised. Nin- Europe and struck a deal with Phillips which
tendo approached Sony with plans to turn the gave Nintendo a better degree of control over
technology into an add-on for the SNES. Dubbed its intellectual property.
‘SNES-CD’, Sony and Nintendo signed the con-
tracts and everything looked pretty sweet. Instead of shelving the beloved project, Sony
continued. Thus, the PlayStation was born.
It didn’t last long.
The PlayStation was launched in 1994/1995
Sony had plans to develop a SNES-compatible with a high level of success. Launch games
console under the Sony name, but branded as included Rayman, Doom and Battle Arena
a “home entertainment system” playing both Toshinden. In all, a total of 7,918 titles were re-
SNES cartridges and Sony’s new CD-ROM for- leased on the console.
mat. Both Sony’s new console plans and the Nin-
tendo-Sony partnership were to be unveiled at While Nintendo was still the dominant player
the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show. However, with the under 15s, Sony’s PlayStation had a
things took a turn for the worst. broader suite of games for all ages and game
talent. By the late 90s, Sony had toppled Ninten-
Reading the contract’s fne print, Nintendo’s Hi- do off the top console throne.
image source:
roshi Yamauchi realised the partnership gave Wikimedia Commons
Sony the rights to control any and all
titles that were released on SNES-CD
format. Secretly, he cancelled the
plans. Instead of an announcement
16 Independent Media Inspiring Minds
AUSTRALIA
SONY PLAYSTATION/PS1
Released: 1994 (JP), 1995 (EU, US, AUS)
Price: $299
Sales: approx. 102 million units
Spawns: PlayStation 2 (2000), PlayStation 3 (2006/2007), PlayStation 4 (2013/2014)
The frst origins of PlayStation hark back to the of a Sony-Nintendo partnership, Nintendo re-
mid-80s when Sony and Phillips developed CD- vealed they were now partnered with Phillips.
ROM XA, an extension of the CD game format Unbeknownst to Sony, Nintendo had fown to
which couldn’t be erased or compromised. Nin- Europe and struck a deal with Phillips which
tendo approached Sony with plans to turn the gave Nintendo a better degree of control over
technology into an add-on for the SNES. Dubbed its intellectual property.
‘SNES-CD’, Sony and Nintendo signed the con-
tracts and everything looked pretty sweet. Instead of shelving the beloved project, Sony
continued. Thus, the PlayStation was born.
It didn’t last long.
The PlayStation was launched in 1994/1995
Sony had plans to develop a SNES-compatible with a high level of success. Launch games
console under the Sony name, but branded as included Rayman, Doom and Battle Arena
a “home entertainment system” playing both Toshinden. In all, a total of 7,918 titles were re-
SNES cartridges and Sony’s new CD-ROM for- leased on the console.
mat. Both Sony’s new console plans and the Nin-
tendo-Sony partnership were to be unveiled at While Nintendo was still the dominant player
the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show. However, with the under 15s, Sony’s PlayStation had a
things took a turn for the worst. broader suite of games for all ages and game
talent. By the late 90s, Sony had toppled Ninten-
Reading the contract’s fne print, Nintendo’s Hi- do off the top console throne.
image source:
roshi Yamauchi realised the partnership gave Wikimedia Commons
Sony the rights to control any and all
titles that were released on SNES-CD
format. Secretly, he cancelled the
plans. Instead of an announcement
16 Independent Media Inspiring Minds
