Games - Sony Computer Entertainment

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	Games - Sony Computer Entertainment

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation that was established on November 16, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan. SCEI handles the research and development, production, and sales of hardware and software for their high-selling PlayStation line of handheld and video game consoles. SCEI is also a developer and publisher of video games for their systems.

The president and CEO of SCEI is Ken Kutaragi, who is widely acknowledged as the creator of the PlayStation. SCEI is comprised of several subsidiaries covering the company's biggest markets: America, Europe, Oceania and Asia.

Consoles

PlayStation

Sony's first foray into the video game market, the PlayStation (formerly PSX, currently called PS one), was initially set to be an add-on for Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Famicom video game consoles as an answer to Sega's Sega CD. When the prospect of releasing the system as an add-on dissolved, Sony transformed it into the PlayStation video game console. The PlayStation was released in Japan on December 3, 1994 and later in North America on September 9, 1995. The system was widely popular and quickly became the #1 selling video game console worldwide of all time.

PlayStation 2

Sony's second generation console, the PlayStation 2 or PS2 was released in Japan on March 4, 2000 and later in North America on October 26, 2000. The PS2 is powered by a proprietary CPU, called the Emotion Engine and is the first video game console to have DVD playback functionality. Some game developers complained that the PlayStation 2 was too hard to develop for, and others also claimed that the PS2 was not as powerful as its competitors. Despite these complaints, the PlayStation 2 had widespread support from third party developers and was very successful in the marketplace. It placed first in number of units sold in its generation, with Microsoft's Xbox placing second.

PSX

In December 2003 Sony upgraded the PlayStation 2 adding DVD burning and a hard drive with PVR functionality. The upgraded system was renamed the PSX (an acronym often mistakenly used to represent the original PlayStation). The PSX has extensive media connectivity with the PSP. It is an expensive luxury device (approximately US$700). Due to its lack of popularity, it was never released outside of Japan .

PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 is Sony's next-generation video game console. The system was unveiled on May 16, 2005 at a press conference prior to the 2005 E³ event. The PS3 is powered by a CPU called the Cell developed by IBM, Toshiba, and Sony themselves. The console has many innovative features such as Blu-Ray disc technology and high-end multimedia interfaces such as HDMI which is fully capable of 1080p resolution. The PlayStation 3 is backward compatible with both the PlayStation 2 and the original PlayStation. Sony defines the machine as "The Super Computer Entertainment Device". It is expected to come out early November 2006.

Handhelds

PocketStation

Released only in Japan in December 1998, the PocketStation was a miniature game console and also a PlayStation accessory. Compatible games could be downloaded onto the device when connected to the PlayStation Memory Card slot, or via infrared bases in several video game stores. Multiplayer was possible via an infrared connection. Tamagotchi software was available for download in video game stores.

PlayStation Portable

After a successful run in the console market with both the PlayStation and the PlayStation 2, Sony moved into the handheld market. On May 11, 2004 Sony officially unveiled the PlayStation Portable or PSP during a press conference at E³. The PlayStation Portable is intended as an entertainment platform and can play videogames, video content, and digital audio, as well as display digital photos. The PSP can also surf the web with its built-in web browser. Instead of using traditional cartridges, the PSP uses a proprietary disc medium called the Universal Media Disc or UMD. The system also uses Sony's memory stick for game saves and to transfer content between the PSP and other devices. The PlayStation Portable was released in Japan on December 14, 2004, released in the United States on March 24, 2005, and in remaining markets on September 1, 2005.

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