Sony stops making original PS

With the PS3 launch looming, Japanese electronics giant shuts down production of the console that brought it to the industry in the first place.

Sony entered the global gaming industry with the Japanese release of the original PlayStation in December of 1994. More than 11 years and two more consoles later, the electronics giant has pulled the plug on its first console, ceasing all production of PS units. Last September, Sony announced that the original PlayStation and its PSOne redesign had surpassed the 100 million units sold milestone.

Despite the news, Sony representatives noted today that the end of production does not necessarily mean the end of availability. PS hardware and software are still selling in countries around the world.

Even if original PlayStation systems and games are becoming slim pickings in the US, gamers likely won't be going without for long. As part of its PlayStation Business Briefing 2006, Sony last week announced that it is working on an emulator that would allow gamers to play PS titles on the PSP. Details haven't been released yet, but Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi said the games would be digitally distributed.

While the PlayStation's decade-plus production run is certainly impressive, it isn't the longest life span for a gaming console. Atari released its Video Computer System (more popularly known as the Atari 2600) in 1977 and didn't officially pull the plug on it until 1991.

248 Comments

  • kingmickey2

    Posted Oct 22, 2008 6:49 pm PT

    didn't ps2 been out for like 6 years?

  • crszn962015

    Posted Jun 7, 2008 8:02 am PT

    I can't believe it lasted until the PS3 was about to come out.

  • LastSamurai14

    Posted Apr 20, 2007 9:24 pm PT

    when was the last game released?

  • hawkeye_12

    Posted Dec 20, 2006 11:42 am PT

    A shame, a true shame

  • Tomdogg

    Posted Oct 25, 2006 5:29 pm PT

    Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • blackthegame

    Posted Oct 1, 2006 7:57 am PT

    mine doesent have a scratch on it.

  • undead4110

    Posted Oct 1, 2006 1:46 am PT

    mine is still in perfect condition

  • JakX_Racer

    Posted Aug 19, 2006 6:18 am PT

    As it says in the good book:

    Playstation Manual: Chapter 3, Subsection 4 on The Usage Of a Playstation, Paragraph 14, and I quote:

    "Wheneth Thine Day Commeth, thine stars will align and thine sky will parteth, and thine lord and savior, the father of all that videogames live for, will taketh thou onto a life of everlasting rememberance and playtime. Sony Playstation, thou art lost, but thou shalt not ever be forgotten. Mayeth thine legacy liveth on for all eternity. Amen."

  • JakX_Racer

    Posted Aug 19, 2006 6:17 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of the original poster]

  • superb_01

    Posted May 13, 2006 6:11 pm PT

    at least it's not gonna cost 900$$

  • Blood_Manhunt

    Posted Apr 23, 2006 11:47 pm PT

    I...I...dont know what to say...

  • MedevilDragon

    Posted Apr 4, 2006 5:01 am PT

    So we come to The End of the greatist console of all ever made.

  • animaonline

    Posted Apr 3, 2006 3:05 pm PT

    LOL! I thought that they stopped production in the year 2001 or 2002!

  • sharkman83

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 1:44 pm PT

    man that is amazing. they are just now puling the plug on the first PS. Man i dont even know were to find one of those things new. i know i dont sell them were i work (Best Buy). i know that they still make games but i guess that there not going to make them as well.

  • Guitargamer1

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 9:23 am PT

    That's sad.

    1994 was a great year man. Playstation to Pulp Fiction it is a year to be missed

  • southy787

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 8:15 am PT

    Goodbye little one, a small piece of gaming history gone after all these years. Farewell PSone, for many years you have provided enjoyment the world over. I just hope that you will live long in the memory of those fortunate enough to witness your glory......

  • moggy997

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 3:27 am PT

    its not going to be a collectors item, its not rare enough, 100 million of em! Give it 100 years, then you might make a bit of money from it.

  • Zelos-W

    Posted Mar 27, 2006 12:13 am PT

    It had a good run

  • panthros

    Posted Mar 26, 2006 1:35 pm PT

    That's sad... mine is dead but I have a ps2...

  • standcm12

    Posted Mar 26, 2006 12:23 pm PT

    oh....who cares. they should have stopped 4 years ago.

  • REGAMER-X

    Posted Mar 26, 2006 11:40 am PT

    well i'm not really surprised.. but why worry just buy a PS2 if you want to play PS games.

  • MeltedGeneral

    Posted Mar 26, 2006 11:04 am PT

    RIP PlayStation

  • ThieveryCo

    Posted Mar 26, 2006 7:03 am PT

    Everthing has a beginning, and an end ! See ya PS1

  • johndoh4

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 7:18 pm PT

    Well I guess this is it for the PS1. Those were good times.

  • Agreb91

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 6:57 pm PT

    Good bye PSone..... we all knew you well!

  • masskilla334

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 4:26 pm PT

    wonder who still buys it?

  • UltimatumCHIEF

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 2:48 pm PT

    Ha ha ha one PS down, two to go baby.

  • gatsbythepig

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 2:40 pm PT

    that's impressive. I thought they stopped making it a long time ago

  • Briantb_2008

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 2:36 pm PT

    There still making them I thought they stopped a while back

  • Briantb_2008

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 2:36 pm PT

    There still making them I thought they stopped a while back

  • rokkuman09

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 10:58 am PT

    lol there still making those

  • Poi_159

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 8:44 am PT

    Well timet collect the collectors item, keep it in its box and sell it in the future.

  • killa-k

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 8:43 am PT

    it will sadly missed

  • Ne0zEEd

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 8:23 am PT

    I'll have to grab one again..just to have it..good run for sure.

  • Hershey07

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 7:11 am PT

    PSX...ahh good times

  • CloudStrifeFFO7

    Posted Mar 25, 2006 3:00 am PT

    Crap man PSone had a long life span!

  • Tda503

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 10:22 pm PT

    this kinda suck...(tear), but then agian, who is going to buy a ps, when the ps3 is around the corner

  • BadMunky

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 10:06 pm PT

    lasted a lot longer then i expected

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 9:57 pm PT

    This is more reason that MS should be ashamed for completely abandoning the original Xbox.

  • LordGamer0001

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 9:57 pm PT

    good thing i still have mine so i wont miss it.

  • milkduds_1167

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 9:35 pm PT

    I thought they stopped making it years ago

  • bunty_007

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 8:59 pm PT

    Ok...

  • greatmagnus

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 8:55 pm PT

    They were still making them? Holy ****.

  • tremo01

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 7:36 pm PT

    Woah, I though they ended production of it back in 2002!

  • Montusama

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 7:33 pm PT

    I thought they stopped like.....LONG AGO i mean most companies stop making the console before the launch of the new system but sony was releasing games for it even during the PS2 but now is a little late sony you should of tired a couple years ago

  • TJSpyke

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 7:03 pm PT

    Good riddance, I don't know why anyone would still be buying a PS1. I wonder how many systems they would have sold if so many people didn't have to buy second or third PSOnes after their first ones broke down.

  • PowerBomb

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 7:00 pm PT

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

  • TVR_Fan

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 6:26 pm PT

    I think this will give them more resources to make the PS2 more cheaper, while having more staff to help produce more PS3 units. All legend consoles must come to an end some day, one day you will see the Xbox not being made anymore.

    But only once the next Xbox is out, when they stoped selling films in Dixons (UK). Most people were outraged but its the same for the PS1, we must move on.

    We can not go backwards.

  • mutenpika

    Posted Mar 24, 2006 5:47 pm PT

    'Twill be remembered very fondly, even by this Nintendo/Microsoft guy. Rest in peace, Playstation. May your grandson, PS3, rise to even greater successes and continue to boost the industry onwards. *taps*

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!