The Rise And Rise of The PS3: A Look Back At The Console's History

"The Playstation 3 has been the little engine that could of our current console generation, with criticism and a variety of heavy shake ups still not being enough to dampen the console's appeal and massive potential. It's been a long and winding road for Sony with the PS3, and one that we feel is worth retracing, so join us as we take a look at how the PS3 we see today has come to be."

[Gamer3000]

to sums it up :
2006-2008: "ps3 is doomz " "ps3 has no games"
"lol sony should lunch ps4 right now to save their face"
"we don't need blueray for games... dvds is much better"

2008-xxxx : "games .. games .. games ... and more games .. oh and what makes ps3 even more future proof
the 50gb blueray"

[digitalivan]

I had trouble choosing which console to pick up when Xbox360 and PS3 came out. I was worried with stuff like the user interface, gamepad, console GPU and CPU, etc. Then I realized it's all the same, and that stuff won't make gaming better.
It all came to games and nothing more. Multiplatform games are on both console but exclusives sealed it for me. And any ubiased gamer knows that most PS3 exclusives outperform and outnumber those on Xbox360 (and I can play some Xbox exclusives on my PC). And a free multiplayer was a big plus for me.

[rezzah]

i don't really pick my consoles based on the tech, but rather my enjoyment from what has been offered to me in the previous generation.

I started with PS1, grew up with the Sony brand and thus I just choose PS3. Sure there are other systems that offer games I would like to play a lot, but spreading out into a new company will be too much games to play and too much money. If you have both then go ahead and play everything.

[SSultan]

I owned a PS3 and I would agree until Gears 3.

[remanutd55]

Resistance Fall of Man
Resistance 2
Motorstorm
Motorstorm Pacific Rift
Warhawk
Heavenly Sword
Folklore
Metal Gear Solid 4 : Guns of The Patriots
Ratchet and Clank Tools of Destruction
Ratchet and Clank Quest for Booty
Uncharted Drakes Fortune
Socom Confrontation
Lair ( sadly i didnt enjoy it as much as i would wanted it because of the controls)
Siren Blood Curse
Ninja Gaiden Sigma
Little Big Planet
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue
those were the exclusive games i enjoyed from 2006 - 2008 , not bad if you ask me

[Gamer3000]

not bad at all

[ZBlacktt]

Someone googled

[kikizoo]

Better than most of our old good consoles in their entire life.

best console ever, even without 2012, 2013, etc ;)

[colonel179]

I have 60 games and at least 85% are exclusives. Sony was the right choice for me this generation. I had never owned a PLayStation console, but there were/are a lot of games that I liked from Sony this time.

Who would have the best console next gen?

[fluffydelusions]

Well going by exclusives, Sony because they bought a bunch of studios this gen while MS only purchased timed exclusives.

[n4gisatroll]

Sony bought studios this gen, but they also had a huge bunch of studios before. I'm glad I have a ps3 as well, and everyone should be thankful for all this competition. Without mircosoft or Nintendo I don't think Sony would be making such giant games. Then again, maybe they would be.

[dirtrider]

ok fluffy-

you are right, sony has bought their way into the gaming market, so why is it that when microsoft buys times exclusitivity or else they are scollded by the ps3 fanboys?

when microcsoft shicks a buck they get down played on here, but sony is the one trying to create a monolopy???

[kneon]

@dirtrider

It's simple really, how does Microsoft buying timed exclusives benefit anyone? Sure it will be available on one console sooner than the other but it would have come out whether Microsoft paid money or not. Nothing new is created, it just changes the timing.

When Sony buys a studio that means another well funded studio with the freedom to create something new.

If Microsoft really wanted to improve the gaming landscape they would buy some studios or even start a new studio and give them the resources and freedom to succeed.

[dirtrider]

it doesnt benefit anyone except for the companies that are trying to monolopize the console industry- which is sony.

[RyuCloudStrife]

PS3. Sony 'Til I Die.

[RXL]

and it's barely hitting it's stride with all this awesome stuff (games/3d) coming out...Sony's foresight really is ridiculous..

[lorianguy]

At the end of the day I bought it because it was what my friends had. Then I met Uncharted and the other exclusives and the deal got a whole lot sweeter. Top that off with free Multiplayer and you have an unstoppable beast.

[Relientk77]

The first couple years were full of pretty awesome underappreciated games and games that didn't sell well

examples:
Folklore
Valkeria Chronicles

both awesome games

When Uncharted 2 was released I feel like the PS3 was finally popular and hit mainstream and people started buying it more so than ever

edit: 2006-2008: critics and people were skeptical and claimed the PS3 had no games and it was gonna die

2008-2009: more and more games started getting released, more people started buying the PS3 and there was hope that the system would last

2009 - present and future: GAMES... GAMES.. AND MORE GAMES... the PS3 lives!

[Acquiescence]

I was laughing at the Playstation 3 in 06-07. By late 09 I got one and by mid 10 I had deemed it the most essential console of this generation. My 360 and Wii barely get used anymore.

UNCHARTED 3 IN ONE MONTHS TIME!

[MaximusPrime]

Even that infamous PSN hacking incident and Japanese major earthquake failed to topple PS3 reign at top.

Good job Sony. We know it has been a tough year but good job.

[RedHotChiliPepaSpray]

With the amount of studios underneath SONY and future studios they might buy it can only get better. That's the problem with Microsoft they have barely any studios working for them exclusively.

Wish they had bought insomniac and then got sucker punch at a later date but still really pleased with the amount of games for ps3 this year and the upcoming ones next year.

[darfreeze]

If it didn't have a rough, pricey start, it will be miles ahead than the Xbox.

[modesign]

if the 360 didnt have the 1 year head start, the ps3 would be far ahead.

[majedx9]

and RROD

[TyrionL]

@ majedx9
I think you're wrong there man. I think if the 360 didn't have RROD it would have sold a lot more. I think the RROD did the opposite of what the people on this site say. I really don't know what logic is used when they say a major hardware disaster like the RROD increased sales. I wonder how many people had that happen then went to the PS3. I wonder how many people chose the PS3 over the 360 because they knew about the RROD? If we are doing "what if's" then I really believe that if the RROD was never a problem the 360 would have done significantly better. I just don't understand how people really believe that this actually increased sales for MS. That’s ridiculous.

[cr33ping_death]

i remembered i joined N4G back in 2007 every article on N4G was doom and gloom for SONY. every article being praised by xbox fanboys. but i knew what i bought and i couldnt have been happier :) a few years down the line and who has all the games???

[TyrionL]

I do. I do because I own the 360, PS3 and Wii. I know the PS3 only owners like to THINK they are untouchable, but multi console owners for the motherfu$%ing win. I love not being limited to what I can play by bias, or some need to justify the only console I could afford. Don’t get me wrong, if I could only have 1 console I would still be happy with what I had, but you asked “a few years down the line and who has all the games???”, and I say those who own them all do. Defiantly not 1 console trolls. (not saying you are a troll, your comment didn’t come off like that at all)

[cr33ping_death]

umm yeah i have a 360 and the only thing worth getting is Gears. so..... do you want me to buy the gimmicky kinect?

[TyrionL]

To be honest I don't give a sh1t what YOU buy, Mr. Attitude problem. If Gears is the ONLY thing you want on the 360 you're not much of a gamer. There are more than 815 games out for the 360, if only one of those appeals to you then you have VERY limited taste. To be honest I think this is just a typical fanboy response, I seriously doubt you have a 360, or will ever have one, which is just fine, but don’t expect people to believe such ludicrous bullsh1t.

[thehusbo]

Paid £424.99 on release day and never looked back. By far the best console of this gen, and the games continue to impress. good job sony, keep it up

[MaximusPrime]

Same here but paid half the price, thanks to selling xbox 360 and games on eBay a month before it launched.

I was in that long midnight launch queue.

;)

[thehusbo]

Haha good times :)

[SneeringImperialist]

Slow and steady wins the race PS3!

[lumley666]

i was saying this back when i bought my ps3 at launch. only thing that matters wen it comes to gaming is ... wait for it.... games lol its imposable for ps3 to not be a success, microsoft have basically started digging its own grave, kinect? oh please.... no companys making exclusives, bad move by microsoft, time will prove tht, wat are they gonna do wen next xbox is out? sony have deffo done the right thing buying all these companys. like iv said in a previous post, they cant live off gears, halo and forza every year.

[Azmacna]

the biggest mistake MS has made in both generations is relying (and so defining) there console with basically two games: Halo and Gears. although the press and fanboys are always all over the smaller sales of PS3 exclusives, we know that Sony has always stood for quality. i've seen many people consider which game Sony should take as a mascot and largely speaking most people agree it's Sackboy... but, that is defining the console and Sony never wanted that with the PS1 and the PS2 and they certainly don't want it with the PS3. by broadening their portfolio of games and experiences they guarantee a steady sellthrough year on year, which is why they always hit their targets. it may well lead to smaller sales of large franchises but that is because they have such a huge and diverse audience. this is how you sell a product to the masses. nail yourself to two games and eventually only a certain type of consumer will want your product. unfortunately this is the mistake Nintendo made this gen. yes they sold many consoles but how do we perceive them now and how many devs take risks with them?

[lumley666]

ye i agree with everything you said bud, in my eyes iv always seen the developer naughty dog as kinda there mascot, with ps1 we had crash, with ps2 wev had jack and daxter and ps3 we have uncharted. tho a developer can never be a mascot its the way i see it.

[eferreira]

my ex got me my ps3, only good thing to come out of that relationship.

[madpuppy]

At first I was a PC gamer (still am) when I built my theater room I decided to get a console, I chose the Xbox. The PS2 to me had 2 things that I really didn't like about it, the first and most important was the fact that it did not have in game surround sound, the only time the surround sound was active was when playing a dvd or game cut scenes. the Other issue that I did not like was that there were an inordinate amount of sports games available for the PS2, it was almost considered a sports gaming console in my eyes and to me that is a BIG MINUS.

I was very happy with the Xbox, I even pre-ordered the 360 a year before it came out because how much I liked it.

I waited in front of gamestop in the cold with a bunch of other 30+ gamers for 12:00 to get my dirty hands on the new 360, the thing was great! It was everything I expected from it...until it died on me with the RROD, this was before MS admitted that they screwed up and released a broken, flawed console. fortunately, I had a Gamestop service contract.

(In the interim, I got a great deal on a 40gig PS3 directly from the Sony Store for 299.00, extremely happy with it's quality and RELIABILITY!)

now i'm on my second 360. about 6 months after that, (MS now has the "wonderful" free replace/repair service) I get the RROD AGAIN!!! so I send out the second broken 360 and get it replaced. I am so aggravated that when I finally get the replacement back from Texas I don't even bother taking it out of the box, I gather up everything for the 360 including accessories and games and trade it in at gamestop for ANOTHER PS3 (the 160gig slim model) for my bedroom.

I am amazed at how MS started off so good with the XBOX 1 and failed so miserably with the broken, flawed 360. The only way I would ever own another 360 is if MS gifted me a slim model, seeing that I am not a celebrity or a sports icon I don't think that this is ever going to happen. after all, MS only gives away stuff to the famous or filthy rich.

Now I am a multi console owner...it's just that they are all PS3's. well worth the every dime.

[Holeran]

My only problem with the PS3 is what it has done to my wallet. Currently I own 120 games on disc and 50+ download titles. Honestly I have probably only finished 15% of the games I own and I end up playing multiplayer titles more than any single player games. I own some games that where game of the year and runner ups that I have yet to put any time into, like Red dead redemption which I have owned since it came out and have probably played a total of 20 minutes, I know it's sad.

[InNomeDiDio]

at least you have fun playing. that's all about and online is amazing

[Wintersun616]

Perhaps you should finish what you started before you buy anything new? That's what I do, and it works.

[cedaridge]

sony have done fine with the ps3 and when they are ready to unleash the ps4, ill be ready too. psn: cedaridge / xbl: cedaridge

[FlareDReborn]

SAY IT WITH ME. TREY4LIFE.

[EazyC]

No.

[nealane]

i own all three consoles & ps3 is by far my console of choice i just wish they square enix would make a ff7 remake like the demo they teased at the ps3 launch