Top 10 Achievements/Landmarks in PlayStation History

5. Sony’s 1st Party Studios

No great console is successful without great first party developers. Luckily for Sony, the company has established partnerships with some of the most talented creators and artists in the video games industry. These first parties are the studios that produce the console’s exclusive games which play a major role in influencing consumers to invest. Naughty Dog, for example, are responsible for Uncharted, PlayStation’s flagship franchise, as well as the impeccable The Last of Us. The talented team continues with developers such as Media Molecule (Little Big Planet), Sucker Punch (Sly Cooper, Infamous), Team Ico (Ico, Shadow of the Colossus), Sony Santa Monica (God of War) and many, many more. Some may argue that these titles are achievements for individual studios and not for the console itself. However, it takes strong leadership to not only solidify these partnerships with great designers, but to create a console that motivates developers to create specifically for their platform.

~ Zach

4. Final Fantasy VII

Squaresoft’s (now Square Enix) Final Fantasy franchise saw six major iterations with Nintendo as well as various spin-off titles. This was until that fateful year of 1997 when the developer released one of the greatest games of all time as a PlayStation exclusive. This transition not only marked an enormous landmark for Sony, but for Final Fantasy in general as many gamers discovered the franchise with this release. Until Final Fantasy XI’s release for PC, Final Fantasy remained a PlayStation exclusive with the titles that followed VII. The monumental success of Squaresoft’s game also meant a colossal achievement for Sony as they obtained one of the greatest RPG titles ever made. On a personal note, it was the first game I ever played, making the Sony PlayStation my first console experience ever. This is a significant moment not only for myself, but for various gamers throughout the world. Sony’s ability to establish that relationship with a future generation of gamers from a young age is a remarkable feat.

~ Zach

3. Dualshock Controller

The Dualshock controller, which featured vibration and the precision of twin thumb sticks, first hit American PlayStations in 1998. While the 1998 title Ape Escape was the only PlayStation game to require the Dual Shock controller, it wasn’t the only one to make use of its features. Some games used the vibration feature when a character would fight or shoot and many Adventure games such as Spyro or The Emperor’s New Groove took advantage of the second thumb stick to control the camera. Controllers since the original Dual Shock, except for the Sega Dreamcast controller, all use a variant of the twin stick layout. So many games, from adventure games to first-person shooters, can only function because the extra thumb stick helps with camera movement, navigation or many other things. Sony’s original PlayStation controller doesn’t just make this list because of a few new features, but rather because its designs have made a strong, lasting effect.

~ Rafael

2. PlayStation 2 – The Best-Selling Console of All Time

Whether it’s the Xbox One, the Wii-U or PlayStation 4, current-gen platforms always strive to be the console with the biggest number in sales. While the PS4 does lead today, it’s not one of Sony’s biggest achievements. That goes to the PS2. Though the PlayStation 2 was released fifteen years ago, it tops the charts at 157.68 million units sold around the world according to Vgcharts.com (http://www.vgchartz.com/analysis/platform_totals/Hardware/Global/). It’s only several million units away from the Nintendo 3DS, but the next non-handheld console to even come close is the original PlayStation, which has only sold around 104.25 million units. Sony has definitely made a mark with its PlayStation 2.

~ Rafael

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1. The Creation of the Sony PlayStation

Was there really any other alternative? The original PlayStation, the PS1, the PSX, or whatever you choose to call it, smashed into the video game world in December of 1994. Originally destined to be the Nintendo product to feature a disc drive, Sony fatefully forged their own path releasing the PlayStation as a unique console as a direct competitor to existing consoles. While this particular console was my first, many other gamers found their start earlier with the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom. This makes it even more striking that established gamers quickly identified with this new product. Some of a gamer’s greatest experiences come from the original PlayStation, many of which were previously mentioned on this list. The dualshock, Metal Gear, a golden age for role-playing games, Gran Turismo, Resident Evil, Tomb Raider, so on, and so forth. We as gamers are forever thankful for the Sony PlayStation. Many of us in 2015 own PlayStation 4’s in place of this classic gem, but we will always remember where it all began.

~ Zach

After twenty years of PlayStation, we couldn’t be more grateful for the experiences we’ve had. Though some of those memories border on the bizarre (that Crash Bandicoot man will be burned into our brains forever), most of them were truly special. Here’s to many more years of PlayStation greatness.

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Twenty years ago, Sony gave birth to the Sony PlayStation. The console marked a significant milestone for the world of video games. Needless to say, the industry has never been the same since its fruition. Throughout the course of its life, the company has achieved significant milestones, as well as set precedents for various aspects of the business. Together, we took a look at some of the PlayStation’s greatest achievements in all regards of its existence.

By Rafael Serrato and Zach Nonnemacher

10. Top-Notch Advertising

Sony has quite the history regarding bizarre, yet inventive commercials. Some notable ads featured the man in the Bandicoot suit. Almost comically bad, the ad certainly became a staple in PlayStation’s history. Continuing with the funny theme, Sony unveiled Mr. Kevin Butler to the world. Kevin possesses an M.B.A (Master of Being Awesome) and is known for such titles as Director of Rumor Confirmation as well as VP of First-Person Shooter Relations.

More recently, we saw one of the more memorable ads in gaming with “Long, Live, Play.” The ad featured real-life actors portraying many of PlayStation’s most iconic characters such as Solid Snake, Cole McGrath, and Kratos. Together, the characters celebrate the idea of the gamer behind them through the face of “Michael.” There is, indeed, a Michael in all of us.

~ Zach

9. Playstation’s Vast Breadth of Indie, Arcade and Obscure Games

Sony’s 2014 E3 press conference hit hard with a promise to bring an array of indie games for PlayStation fans. That promise continues today through releases like the 8-bit, bloodbath tempo of Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and the well-received side-scroller Axiom Verge. However, the arsenal of indie and offbeat games aren’t limited to current Sony consoles. Smaller, obscure titles have found homes throughout the lifespan of each generation of PlayStation. The PS3 can claim the majestic, desert-wanderer adventure of Journey as one if its golden indie titles, the quirky Katamari Damacy and Disaster Report found a home on the PlayStation 2 and, not to mention, the original PlayStation library was filled with weird and obscure games such as Ore-no Ryouri, a funny cooking sim that only found American soil as a part of a demo disc, and the absurd, mini-game carnival that is Incredible Crisis. The ocean of unique titles that found its place in the PlayStation franchise is definitely a grand achievement.

~Rafael

8. Metal Gear Solid Series

Metal Gear’s roots stretch all the way back to the eighties. The original game was released on the MSX2 in 1987 followed by its direct sequel, Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, in 1990. Within a decade, consoles shifted from cartridges to discs and Metal Gear Solid arrived on Sony’s PlayStation. Solid Snake and the MGS series since then has garnered a huge following. The tactical espionage and conspiracy-driven tale of Snake, Big Boss and, of course, Metal Gear found releases across each new PlayStation console; even Sony’s hand-held systems were homes to Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and the turn-based card game Metal Gear Acid. Today, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain is available for all current-gen platforms. However, the Metal Gear Solid series matured and found its identity on the Sony consoles, becoming as popular and synonymous as the PlayStation franchise itself.

~ Rafael

7. Shuhei Yoshida

On May 16, 2008, Shuhei Yoshida replaced Kazuo Hirai as President of Sony Worldwide Studios. Since then, Yoshida has solidified himself as a prominent face and personality in the world of PlayStation. The man is not only a strong leader for Sony, but is an avid, dedicated gamer as well. His personal investment in quality video games has helped PlayStation continue its march of success. He is frequently seen speaking at major events such as E3 and the PlayStation Experience as well as interacting with the game journalism community. Before serving as President, Shuhei also had his hands in many memorable titles such as Jak and Daxter, Twisted Metal: Black, and The Legend of Dragoon. His warm personality and devotion to the medium makes him one of the best leaders in the business. The elevation of Shuhei Yoshida marks a prominent moment in Sony’s history. PlayStation can look forward to continued achievement with him at the helm.

~ Zach

6. Pushing Graphical Boundaries

With each new console, Sony was always at the forefront when it came to pushing video games to their graphical limits. The original PlayStation saw Resident Evil 2 paint its streets with so much gore, grime and atmosphere that opening a door to a new area was as tense and adrenaline-filling as fighting through the zombie-infested streets. Games such as Final Fantasy X, God of War II and Okami exemplify not only the PS2’s power, but versatility of graphical style. From the very first Uncharted game to the PlayStation 3’s Magnum Opus The Last of Us, Sony showed just how far graphics may go within a single generation. Now with the PlayStation 4, Sony has yet another graphical avenue to conquer; and with games like The Order 1886, it seems like they are already on the right track.