PlayStation 3

Lore & Background

Development of the PlayStation 3 began on March 9, 2001, when Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi announced a partnership with Toshiba and IBM to develop the Cell microprocessor. The PS3 was built around the custom-designed Cell Broadband Engine processor. It was the first console to use the Blu-ray disc as its primary storage medium, the first to be equipped with an HDMI port, and the first capable of outputting games in 1080p resolution. It launched alongside the PlayStation Network online service and supported Remote Play connectivity with the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita handheld consoles. In September 2009, Sony released the PlayStation 3 Slim, which removed hardware support for PlayStation 2 games and introduced a smaller, more energy-efficient design. A further revision, the Super Slim, was released in late 2012.

In Their Own Story

The wind dies. For the first time in what feels like hours of running, the sand is still, and the robed figure stands at the mouth of a vast, half-buried city. Towers of pale stone rise like the ribs of something ancient, their surfaces etched with patterns that almost resolve into meaning. A single thread of golden light pulses from the city's deepest gate, and the figure steps forward, the long tail of the robe dragging a faint trail of sand. Somewhere ahead, barely visible against the grey sky, a second glow flickers—another traveler, waiting. The figure quickens its pace. The hum rises, just a half-step, and the city's stones seem to lean closer, as if listening.

Reader's Guide

At launch, the PS3 received a mixed reception due to its high price and limited selection of launch titles. The hardware was costly to produce, and Sony sold the console at a significant loss for several years. Reception improved over time, aided by a library of critically acclaimed games, the Slim and Super Slim hardware revisions, and multiple price reductions. The PS3 sold approximately 87.4 million units worldwide. Nearly 1 billion PlayStation 3 games had been sold worldwide. The PlayStation 4 was released in November 2013 as the PS3's successor. Sony began phasing out the PlayStation 3 within two years. Shipments ended in most regions by 2016, with final production continuing for the Japanese market until May 29, 2017.

Did You Know?

• The PS3 was the first console to use Blu-ray as its primary storage medium.
• The PS3 was the first console equipped with an HDMI port.
• The PS3 was the first console capable of outputting games in 1080p resolution.
• The PS3 Slim removed hardware support for PlayStation 2 games.
• The Super Slim model replaced the slot-loading disc drive with a top-loading drive.