PlayStation 3
Sony's ambitious seventh-generation console that popularized Blu-ray and online gaming.
The PlayStation 3, a home video game console from Sony Computer Entertainment, followed the PlayStation 2 under the PlayStation brand. It first hit shelves in Japan on November 11, 2006, then in North America on November 17, and finally in Europe and Australasia on March 23, 2007. Its main rivals were Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii, placing it in the seventh generation of consoles. At its core was the custom Cell Broadband Engine processor, co-developed with IBM and Toshiba. Sony's Ken Kutaragi imagined it as a living-room supercomputer for complex multimedia. It marked several firsts: using Blu-ray discs as its main storage, including an HDMI port, and outputting games at 1080p Full HD resolution. The PlayStation Network launched alongside it, and it allowed Remote Play with the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. In September 2009, Sony introduced the PS3 Slim, which dropped hardware support for PlayStation 2 games (though some software emulation remained) and offered a smaller, more energy-efficient design. A further Super Slim revision came in late 2012, refining the shape further.
At launch, the PS3 received mixed reviews, mainly due to its high price—$599 for the 60 GB model and $499 for the 20 GB model—along with its complex architecture and few launch titles. Manufacturing costs were steep, and Sony sold the console at a loss for years. Still, critics praised its technological ambition and Blu-ray support, which helped Blu-ray beat out HD DVD as the dominant format. Over time, reception improved thanks to a strong library of acclaimed games, the Slim and Super Slim revisions that cut production costs, and several price drops. These moves helped sales recover. Ultimately, the PS3 sold about 87.4 million units worldwide, edging past the Xbox 360 and becoming the eighth best-selling console ever. Nearly 1 billion PS3 games were sold globally. The PlayStation 4 succeeded it in November 2013, and Sony began phasing out the PS3 within two years. Shipments ended in most regions by 2016, with final production for Japan continuing until May 29, 2017.
Development started on March 9, 2001, when Ken Kutaragi announced a partnership with Toshiba and IBM to create the Cell microprocessor. Around the same time, Shuhei Yoshida led a team exploring next-generation game development. By early 2005, Sony focused on preparing launch titles.
Quick Facts
- Aka
- PS3
- Developer
- Sony Computer Entertainment
- Manufacturer
- Sony, Foxconn, Asus
- Family
- PlayStation
- Generation
- Seventh
- Release Date
- JP · 2006-11-11 · NA · November 17, 2006 · PAL · March 23, 2007
- Discontinued
- PAL · March 2016 · NA · October 2016 · JP · 2017-05-29
- Units Sold
- 87.4 million
- Media
- Blu-ray / DVD / CD / Super Audio CD / (some models) · Digital distribution
- Os
- PlayStation 3 system software
- Cpu
- Cell Broadband Engine
- Cpu Speed
- 3.2 GHz
Facts from the source article.
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 console was officially unveiled on May 16, 2005, at E3 alongside a prototype controller, though no working hardware was shown. By E3 2006, cost-cutting measures had reduced the prototype's ports from two HDMI, three Ethernet, and six USB to one HDMI, one Ethernet, and four USB. Two launch models were announced: a 60 GB version and a 20 GB version, with the 60 GB model including HDMI output, Wi-Fi, flash card readers, and chrome trim. The PAL region launch was delayed to March 2007 due to a shortage of Blu-ray drive components.
At launch, the PS3 received mixed reception due to its high price and limited launch titles. The hardware was costly to produce, with the 20 GB model estimated to cost $805.85 to manufacture—about $307 more than its retail price—and the 60 GB model estimated at $840.35. Sony sold the console at a significant loss for several years, contributing to an operating loss of ¥232 billion (approximately $1.91 billion) for the fiscal year following launch. 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, featuring a top-loading disc drive and additional size and weight reductions.
The PS3 launched in North America with 14 titles, led by Resistance: Fall of Man. Key first-party titles included Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, and Warhawk, while third-party games such as Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and Grand Theft Auto IV helped drive platform momentum.
Reader's Guide
The PlayStation 3's significance lies in its technological ambition and its role in establishing Blu-ray as the dominant high-definition optical disc format over HD DVD. Despite a difficult launch marked by high pricing, complex architecture, and limited software, the console recovered commercially through hardware revisions—the Slim and Super Slim models—and multiple price reductions. These changes reduced manufacturing costs and improved the console's market position. The PS3 also introduced the PlayStation Network online service and supported Remote Play with the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita. Its library of critically acclaimed games, combined with the hardware revisions, helped the PS3 sell approximately 87.4 million units worldwide, narrowly surpassing the Xbox 360 and becoming the eighth best-selling console of all time. Nearly 1 billion PlayStation 3 games were sold globally. The PlayStation 4 succeeded the PS3 in November 2013, and Sony began phasing out the PlayStation 3 within two years, with final production ending in Japan on May 29, 2017.
Did You Know?
- The PS3 was the first console to use Blu-ray as its primary storage medium and the first to output games in 1080p resolution.
- At launch, the 20 GB model cost an estimated $805.85 to manufacture, about $307 more than its retail price.
- The PS3 Slim, released in September 2009, reduced production costs by about 70 percent compared to the original model.
- Nearly 1 billion PlayStation 3 games had been sold worldwide by the end of the console's life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is PlayStation 3?
PlayStation 3 is Sony Computer Entertainment's seventh-generation home console and the direct successor to the PlayStation 2. It launched in Japan in November 2006, reached North America days later, and arrived in Europe and Australasia in March 2007.
What are PlayStation 3's powers/role?
Its core is the Cell Broadband Engine, a custom processor built in partnership with IBM and Toshiba, which Sony envisioned as a living-room multimedia supercomputer. It also became the first console to use Blu-ray discs as its primary storage medium for games and media.
Why is PlayStation 3 important?
The PS3 bundled the PlayStation Network as a standard online service and helped push Blu-ray into mainstream consumer adoption, reshaping expectations for high-definition media. Its unconventional Cell architecture also sparked lasting industry debate about hardware philosophy and consumer value.
Who are PlayStation 3's rivals?
Throughout its lifespan the PS3 competed directly with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii, all three defining the seventh generation of home gaming. Each targeted a somewhat different audience, yet together they set the competitive stage for the entire era.
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