The PlayStation began as a secret Nintendo collaboration before a betrayal sparked Sony's gaming empire.
The episode opens by introducing the PlayStation as a landmark device that began a new era in home entertainment, produced until 2006 under Ken Kutaragi's leadership at Sony Computer Entertainment. It sold over 100 million units, dethroning Nintendo. The origin story involves a failed partnership where Sony was to create a CD-ROM add-on for Nintendo's Super Nintendo, dubbed the Nintendo PlayStation. Nintendo abruptly announced a deal with Philips at a trade show, leading Sony to pursue an independent console, initially called PlayStation Experimental (PSX). The PSX name was later used officially in Japan for a combo device. The PlayStation launched in Japan in 1994 for 35,800 Yen, with European imports costing up to 2,800 D-Mark before official release in 1995. Sony's success hinged on bold pricing, starting at under $300 in the US compared to competitors' $400, and repeatedly cutting prices to as low as $150 globally by 1997. The choice of CD-ROM over cartridges reduced costs and allowed for cinematic cutscenes, voice acting, and music. The spread of CD burners in the late 90s increased popularity, though copy protection and region-locking were barriers. Many users installed mod chips to play games from other regions, especially Japanese RPGs that weren't released in Europe. The console could also play audio CDs, with later versions featuring visual light shows synced to music. The episode concludes with repetitive text about components, likely an error or placeholder.
