PlayStation is a brand of video game console developed by the Sony Corporation . A video game console is a specialized gaming computer that connects to a television . Several versions of the PlayStation console have been released.
Sony began selling the original PlayStation in 1994. That console ran games on CD-ROM discs . The discs could hold much more data than could the cartridges used by other consoles at the time. Such PlayStation games as Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996) and Final Fantasy VII (1997) dazzled gamers with long, complex stories told partly through computer-animated movie sequences, called “cut scenes.” The PlayStation action game Metal Gear Solid (1998) became a model for so-called “stealth games.” In such games, players must sneak around realistic environments to stalk and evade intelligent enemies.
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) was released in 2000. It proved even more popular with gamers. Many PS2 games took advantage of the system’s powerful graphics capabilities. The fantasy games Ico (2001) and Shadow of the Colossus (2005) featured beautiful settings—complete with complex lighting effects—that some critics compared to works of art. Other games explored new styles of play. The game Grand Theft Auto III (2001), which cast players in the role of a criminal, gave them the freedom to go anywhere and do anything in a sprawling virtual city. In the quirky game Katamari Damacy (2004), players must help a tiny cosmic prince roll up increasingly large collections of objects into giant balls.
The PlayStation 3 (PS3), released in 2006, featured an internet connection and Blu-ray discs with high-resolution graphics. However, it was not as popular as previous PlayStations. Such blockbuster PS3 games as the Uncharted series (beginning in 2007) and The Last of Us (2013) featured production values comparable to those seen in major motion pictures . Independent games distributed over the internet, such as the desert-wandering game Journey (2012), also won favor with PS3 owners.
Sony released the PlayStation 4 in 2013. This console enabled players to connect through the internet for social gaming and interaction more readily than did the PlayStation 3. For example, PS4 players can share live feeds of their game sessions, enabling friends to watch them play.
In 2020, Sony released the PlayStation 5. This console featured an advanced haptic (sense of touch) feedback system within the controller, enabling greater immersion during gameplay. In addition to a powerful processor, the PS5 also featured a built-in solid-state drive (SSD) to reduce loading times.
