Many video game consoles have come a long since PlayStation first hit the market, but no one can deny the impact the device has had on culture. PlayStation history dates back to 1986, long before the Internet changed the way games were played and years before the Nintendo Wii caused a stir. Sony formed a partnership with Nintendo, which dominated the video gaming market at the time, to develop the disc technology that is the basis for modern video games. But Nintendo felt the partnership gave Sony complete control and the partnership never came to fruition. If the partnership had continued, the history of this electronics giant would have been quite different.

Sony was not deterred by lawsuits filed by Nintendo and eventually won in court. The first Sony PlayStations were manufactured in 1991, but only a few hit the market. It was the end of 1992 before the PlayStation hit the market after more negotiations between Sony and Nintendo. In 1994, the Sony PlayStation hit the world market. But it wasn’t until 1995 that the United States got a first look at the PlayStation. In September, the game, at a cost of about $299, was a sensation with about 100,000 units sold quickly.

Sony has never been known as a company to rest on its laurels and wait for the competition to overtake them. As the world entered a new century in history, a new mark on history was made. PlayStation 2 was released in 2000, first in Japan and in the United States in October. PlayStation 2 surpassed its older sibling and is now known as the best selling video game console in history. The console still consistently beats Xbox and Wii in sales in many regions across the world.

In 2006, PlayStation history was made again as Sony released PlayStation 3. The new console was so wanted at the time that stores added extra security when it was released in the United States shortly before Thanksgiving. Reports of fights breaking out and thefts of the games in burglaries and from cars were reported on the nightly news almost daily during the Christmas season in the United States. The game console and the games were hot tickets, but the PlayStation 3 has not surpassed PlayStation 2 in sales as of early 2009.

PlayStation released a handheld game console in 2004, which has yet to become as popular as its rival, the Nintendo Gameboy. One of the reasons this gadget has not made PlayStation history yet is that Sony is still converting many games from the original PlayStation. Still, many consumers who will only buy Sony products have made this a popular buy, despite a heavy marketing campaign by the product’s rivals.

As with most electronics companies, Sony has not said much about what is happening next. Marketing efforts have been focused on the release of new games, many based on popular television shows and movies. In fact, the PlayStation game of the movie “Coralline” was released several weeks before the movie hit theaters. Whether sales from PlayStation 3 or the handheld game console will eventually surpass the popular PlayStation 2 is also a possibility. No matter what happens next, it will be interesting to watch. You can keep up with the latest news on their website, www.usplaystation.com or www.uk.playstation.com/psn.