The PlayStation from world-consumer electronics maker Sony, holds a lot of firsts under its belt, aside from being Sony’s line of gaming consoles, advocated by millions of gamers all over the world.

From the original PlayStation, to the PlayStation 2, and reaching up to the PSP, the PlayStation stands tall in being the most popular gaming console being used, setting the standards of game consoles higher and higher. Under its PlayStation product line, a number of firsts are credited to the PlayStation name, permanently setting its name as a major highlight where video game consoles are concerned.

The PlayStation and the Many PlayStation Firsts
Aptly named, the Sony PlayStation came into the consumer electronic market in December of 1994. Its entry into the world of gaming consoles practically left the then industry dominating game console giants Nintendo and Sega in a state of shock, given its impressive gaming features and advanced graphics technologies.

The 32-bit video game console holds the record of being the first game console to hit the 100 million sales mark in March 31, 2005, when the PlayStation and PS One made a combined 102.49 million figure in shipped units. A first Sony is quite proud of.

The PlayStation is also known for being the first game console to utilize optical reading technology, allowing for games to take shape in Compact Disc format, contrary to the game cartridge which Nintendo and Sega game consoles worked with. David Scheff, in his book “Game Over”, notes that the concept of utilizing disc technology with game consoles had been something Nintendo intended to work with Sony. Due to certain differences, the joint project didn’t push through, and what resulted from that was the Sony PlayStation.

What came after the PlayStation would be the PlayStation 2, popularly referred to as the PS2. The PS2 is basically Sony’s second video game console. It joined the game console market a year after its development announcement was released in 1999. The PS2 is popularly known for being the best-selling game console of all time, selling over 120 million units by 2007.

The PS2 operated on DVD technology, which allowed PS2 games more rich graphics and audio output. The PS2 also featured USB and IEEE1394 support, in the form of expansion ports. Also, through the use of an expansion bay, a PS2 Hard Disk drive could be installed to work with the PS2. Certain modifications to the game console allowed it to double as a DVD video player, maximizing its overall functionality beyond simply being a video game console.

Even setting standards higher, the PS2 could be fitted with a Network Adapter. The PS2 Slim Line variety has this feature already installed. Through its network adapter, the PS2 Video Game Console allowed for multiplayer online gaming. As serious gamers are off for challenges, this feature of the PS2 allowed gamers to test their gaming mettle against fellow gamers from all over the world.

After the PS2, the PlayStation Portable, or the PSP, came out on 2004. The PSP is known for being the first portable game console with operated with optical reading technology, using Universal Media Discs or UMDs. Aside from being a portable video game console, the PSP features movie and compressed audio playback capabilities, making it a portable media player as well.

By 2006, the latest version of the PlayStation takes shape with the PlayStation 3 or PS3. Its first, came in its ability to read Blu-Ray discs, known to be the next generation of optical storage technologies. The PlayStation 3 bears with it the same advanced technologies which had made the PS2 the superstar video game console, as well as other enhanced features. One of these takes form with Bluetooth communication capabilities, allowing components like Game Pads to operate wirelessly.

As a video game console, the PlayStation truly has gone far, bearing a number of firsts in its list of features, defining the standards of quality video game consoles today.