Sony entered the video game console market in 1994 and has never looked back, with the Playstation The brand eventually became the dominant and instantly recognizable powerhouse that it is in 2021. Today, the PlayStation 5 is a promising device with technological prowess its predecessors could only dream of – but power isn’t the only one. factor in determining what makes a great console. After nearly three decades in the console market, which PlayStation is best – and which is worst?
Sony first made a name for itself in the video game console scene with the original PlayStation, a device that innovated in a number of ways. The arrival of the PlayStation in 1994 began the industry’s transition from cartridge-based video game consoles to compact discs, but perhaps never would have happened without a failed Nintendo-Sony partnership. Sony was originally supposed to design a CD-ROM for what would become the SNES, but a number of factors severed the relationship between the two companies at the time. Eventually the deal was scrapped, but Sony, embittered by the experience and with a considerable head start in video game design thanks to its CD-ROM work, decided to delve into the video game consoles itself.
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Since then, Sony has arguably emerged as the most dominant force in video games, with the PlayStation 4 achieving a level of success in a competitive market that would have been difficult to predict as its launch window approached in 2013. Whether or not it becomes the best-selling console of all time, it will either fail or exceed the mark set by a familiar competition – its ancestor, the PlayStation 2, which remains the top of the pack when it comes to console sales. . With five full PlayStation consoles now in the family, the differences between each PlayStation have become even more pronounced. Here’s every PlayStation console, ranked from worst to best.
# 5 – PlayStation 5
The only reason the PS5 ranks lower than the PS3 is because of its novelty – the console is very likely to live to outdo its hapless brother, but until that promise is fulfilled there is a huge lack of exclusives at time of writing. is too harmful. Add to that a current gen launch that hasn’t been smooth due to uptime and it’s hard to say the PS5 starts in a favorable place.
However, the PS5 also represents a major leap forward in technology for Sony, with its touted SSD capabilities and dramatic cooling system upgrades, which are just a few of the reasons fans are excited about its future. The DualSense is also a breakthrough in controller design and marks a departure from the standard DualShock aesthetic that was the basis of PlayStations before the PS5 was released. A stellar Souls of the demon remake helped highlight the potential of the console, and with what appear to be locks for quality games in Western forbidden horizon, the following God of the war, Ratchet & Clank: a break and more to come, the PS5 at least seems to be meant to avoid bad PS3 levels.
# 4 – PlayStation 3
The PS3 was a disaster on a level Sony had never experienced in video game console sales before its horrendous launch. The PlayStation 3 launched at a price of US $ 599, immediately alienating large numbers of consumers. Problems continued to come for the console, as Final fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi described the PS3 as difficult to develop, creating a sense of unease about the device’s future. If the developers weren’t keen on working with him, what hope did he have of producing great exclusives?
As it turned out, Sakaguchi’s statement wasn’t completely prophetic for the PS3 game library, even though it’s the weakest the brand has ever had. Some great games have debuted on PS3, with The last of us, Little big planet, Killzone, Metal Gear Solid 4, and Uncharted 2: Among thieves all finding a home on the console. Still, this lineup isn’t exactly stellar compared to other Sony libraries, with its better entry, The last of us, doing a lot of heavy work. To top it off, the PS3 was also ugly and bulky. It’s a low point in the history of the console brand, and if the PS5 had another year under its belt, the PS3 would almost certainly rank at the bottom of this list.
# 3 – PlayStation 1
Getting to a respectable third party is none other than the ancestor of the PlayStation brand itself, the PS1. It’s hard to imagine now, but much of the PS1 was innovative when it was released. This marked the start of the CD era of video games, helped establish Sony as a major force in the industry, created the DualShock design – which will persist (albeit with some tweaks with each generation) throughout. throughout the PS4 era – and more. In a period of time dominated by Nintendo and Sega, the PS1 allowed Sony to gain a foothold in the video game industry and spark even more competition between companies, pushing each brand into each other. The PS1 was also the first console to ship more than 100 million units worldwide, so its contributions did not go unnoticed even during its lifecycle.
The legacy left by the PS1, however, is an integral part of video game development. This was the site of some of the formative moments of 3D game design, with versions like Final fantasy 7, Metal Gear Solid, silent Hill, PaRappa the rapper and more to push the limits of what video games could achieve. With Final Fantasy 7 remake turn heads decades later and every silent Hill A rumor sparking excitement among thousands of horror fans, it’s clear that the impact of the PS1 is still being felt now.
# 2 – PlayStation 4
If the PS4 doesn’t become the best-selling gaming console of all time, it will only be because it comes from a family of outperformers. The PlayStation 4 ushered in an era of Sony dominance that the industry is still reeling from, with reports dating back six months highlighting sales that more than doubled those of the Xbox One and the Nintendo Switch. The technology behind the PS4 earned it praise for its graphics over its competition, and its $ 399 price tag, coupled with a better understanding of digital rights management, made it much more user-friendly than its predecessor.
But a great console isn’t just created from an understanding of the climate it’s introduced into, and the hardware has backed up its promise with some genuine PS4 exclusives. God of the war, Spider-Man PS4, Horizon Zero Dawn, Persona 5, and Final Fantasy 7 remake are all on PS4, and that only scratches the surface of its incredibly deep game library. It is certainly one of the best in history and it has helped solidify the PS4 as a staple of its generation.
# 1 – PlayStation 2
Consoles don’t accidentally end up being the bestseller of all time. The PS2 has delivered on the promise of the PS1 and has worked with it to the tune of over 3,800 games and over 1.5 billion copies sold, as well as sales of over 155 million units of the console itself. even. The depth of the console’s game library is wild, but here’s a quick list of some of its biggest hits: Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy X, God of the war, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, The devil can cry, Shadow of the colossus, Katamari Damacy, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, and Sly Cooper. That doesn’t count the many other slots but still great entrees like Dark cloud 2 that help complete that depth.
It goes beyond games and sales, however. The legacy of the PS2 is rooted in how it took an already amazing console and made it better in almost every way. Back then, the inclusion of a DVD player was a huge boon for families, making the console a home entertainment unit. The graphical leap from PS1 to PS2 was dramatic, and the console’s backward compatibility meant fans who had PS1 libraries could still enjoy it on the new console. Much of the nostalgia surrounding the PS2 is at least partially informed by its public perception as a forward-thinking, user-friendly console that wowed people both with its games and innovations. The PS2 is one of the most important consoles ever made, and for this reason, it also ranks as the best Playstation console never made.
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