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The first Playstation console began life as a CD-ROM add-on for the Super Famicom (also known as the Super NES in international markets). Unfortunately, the partnership between Sony and Nintendo fell through shortly afterward.
Sony then decided to take matters into its own hands and released the first iteration of the PlayStation shortly afterward, complete with a functional CD-ROM drive and a massive library of games. The rest is history, and the PlayStation console has now become a behemoth in modern gaming, arguably eclipsing the competition in the process.
This article ranks all the PlayStation consoles released so far. Keep in mind that this list does not include prototypes or special editions of these home consoles. Furthermore, the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita are also exempt from this particular list (even though they are great consoles on their own) as we will only be considering “home consoles.”
Read on to learn more about each console, including a brief breakdown of their history and significance.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinions.
All PlayStation consoles, ranked
5) PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 is easily the most controversial of the PlayStation consoles released thus far. This seventh-generation home console was released on November 11, 2006, for a whopping $499 (for the base model), which was quite a lot at the time. Coupled with its bulky nature, developmental hurdles posed by the nature of its Cell processor, and the lackluster library of games during launch, the PS3 had a very rocky start, especially compared to the Xbox 360 and Wii U.
Sony ultimately came to their senses, launching the Slim versions of the system (at the cost of PS2 backwards compatibility) at much more affordable prices with a rich library of back-to-back hits such as The Last of Us and Metal Gear Solid 4.
This stopped PlayStation’s descent into oblivion and gave them enough pointers to prepare for the creation of the incredibly successful PlayStation 4.
4) PlayStation 5
The current generation of Sony’s PlayStation console, the PlayStation 5, is quite similar to the PS3 in many aspects. Both consoles feature a “unique” design and have foregone backwards compatibility to an extent. Unlike the PS3, however, the PS5 features a more conventional architecture for its CPU/GPU combination, making it far less of a hurdle to develop games for.
The PS5 is a great console in its own right, innovating and improving on the PlayStation 4. However, due to its relatively small library of exclusives, it is lower on this list. Regardless, the PS5 is the undisputed champion of the ninth generation of home consoles and is expected to grow stronger with time as it matures.
3) PlayStation 1
The original console that started it all, the PlayStation 1 remains a cult classic to this day. Initially released on December 3, 1994, in Japan, the PS1 was an immediate success, selling millions by the end of its life cycle. Backed up by the popular CD-ROM technology and a powerful marketing campaign, the original Sony PlayStation consoles were host to a massive library of games, such as Final Fantasy VII and Crash Bandicoot, many of which are still revered to this day.
2) PlayStation 4
Marking the triumphant return of Sony consoles, the PS4 firmly set Sony’s place as the champion of the eighth generation of video game home consoles. The company learned a lot from the disastrous PlayStation 3 launch and took the lessons to heart, perfecting the PlayStation 4 in terms of both hardware and software.
The PS4 was an incredibly successful PlayStation console, with millions of units selling worldwide. It is the second best-selling console to this day, only trailing behind the PlayStation 2. It receives a ton of support even today, with titles such as Resident Evil 4 remake and Granblue Fantasy Relink being released on the platform, a staggering ten years since its launch.
The PS4 family also includes the PlayStation 4 Pro, a souped-up version of the base console that offers higher fidelity at up to 4K resolution.
1) PlayStation 2
Released in 2000, the Sony PlayStation 2 is widely considered one of the best home consoles of all time. It is also the most successful, boasting a staggering 155 million units sold worldwide, completely eclipsing the competition posed by the original Xbox, Gamecube, and Dreamcast.
The PS2 was also a technical marvel for its time, housing the Emotion Engine, which made it stand toe-to-toe with PCs of that era. The addition of the PS2 Slim to the lineup further boosted sales, with the console enjoying a 13-year shelf life before eventually getting discontinued in favor of the PlayStation 3.
The PS2 also possessed an impressive library of games that remain classics to this day, in addition to offering backwards compatibility with original PlayStation console games.
For more news and updates on the Sony PlayStation 5 console, stay tuned to Sportskeeda.
