The PlayStation (abbreviated as PS, commonly known as the PS1 or its codename PSX) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released on 3 December 1994 in Japan, 9 September 1995 in North America, 29 September 1995 in Europe, and 15 November 1995 in Australia, and was the first of the PlayStation line of video game consoles. As a fifth generation console, the PlayStation primarily competed with the Nintendo 64 and the Sega Saturn.
Development of the console began after a failed venture with Nintendo to create a CD-ROM peripheral for their Super Famicom in the early 1990s. Game production for the console was designed to be streamlined and inclusive, enticing the support of many third-party developers. In July 2000, Sony released a smaller model, the PS one.
The PlayStation signalled Sony's rise to power in the video game industry. Its release elicited critical acclaim and strong sales; in less than a decade, it became the first computer entertainment platform to ship over 100 million units. Its use of compact discs heralded the game industry's transition from cartridges. It was succeeded by the PlayStation 2 in 2000. Games for the original PlayStation continued to sell until Sony ceased production of both the PlayStation and its games on 23 March 2006 – over eleven years after it had been released, and less than a year before the debut of the PlayStation 3. Over 7,918 games were released for the console over its lifespan, with cumulative sales of 962 million units.
