PlayStation Prototype

Sony's incredible success with the PlayStation started with Nintendo's need for a custom sound chip for the SNES. Rival companies Sega and NEC had already moved on to CD based game consoles, as opposed to Nintendo's dependency on cartridge based systems. But Nintendo had no intention of falling behind, and started researhing the possibilities for a CD add-on for the SNES. Sony was given the task, and went on to develop two different units. One was a 16-bit add-on for the SNES, that would sit underneath the system and allow CD based games. The other product became a stand-alone unit.

Because of disagreements between the two companies over who would have the right to license the technology to other parties, Sony was dropped from the project. Instead, Nintendo turned to Philips.

However, Ken Kutaragi, who had worked on the 'SNES Playstation' project and the sound chip for the SNES (the Sony SPC700), did not want to see the project go into the bin. He approached then Sony president Norio Ogha, and got permission to continue the development of the stand-alone console without Nintendo being involved. The project continued and grew, and eventually the Sony Computer Entertainment Division was formed. In October 1991, Sony announced their console dubbed 'Playstation' at the Tokyo International Electronics Show.

The original concept would have played SNES games as well as educational CD software. But Ken Kutaragi had other plans, and reinvented the Playstation. He created a 32-bit console from scratch, that was simple, powerful and easy to write programs for. The PlayStation was launched in 1994, selling more than any other console in video game history.

There is still some confusion as to who actually owns the rights for the PlayStation name, as this was also the name used internally while developing the Sony add-on to the SNES (which never made it to market).