PlayStation is one of the most popular console brands in the entire world. A lot of people like it because it’s offering a unique platform full of amazing exclusive. But what should you know about PlayStation and its history as a whole? Here are some great PlayStation facts that you might not already know!

1. The first PlayStation was actually marketed as a new SNES

In 1991 Sony stated that they are working to improve the SNES and the new console will come with a CD ROM drive. After a little while, Nintendo split ways with Sony, but the latter pursued this either way and they announced the new console in 1993 under the name PS-X. At that time, it was a working title.

2. Gran Turismo was the best-selling game for the original PlayStation

Even though nowadays we can see some PlayStation games selling tens of millions of units at times, Gran Turismo was the first one to ever reach 10 million units in sales. It was the best seller for the original PlayStation, although it was closely followed by other titles like Crash Bandicoot, Tomb Raider, Tekken 3 as well as Resident Evil and Final Fantasy VII.

3. The original PlayStation sold more than 100 million units

Up to this date, this is still one of the few consoles which sold around 100 million units. This clearly goes to show the huge success that this platform had and why it became a part of the gaming hall of fame in many instances. PlayStation has always been a console of firsts and of innovations, which is why it really is unlike anything that you have ever seen.

4. A man changed his legal name to PlayStation 2

Yes, a 29-year-old man from Oxfordshire was obsessed with his PlayStation 2 that he decided to change his name to PlayStation 2. It’s a very strange thing but it actually happened. He actually joked about marrying a PlayStation 2, although when he talked with a few vicars he saw that this would be pretty much impossible.

5. PlayStation 2 games were still being released in 2013

PlayStation 2 was so popular that they were still releasing a few games for it even up to 2013. In fact, one of the last titles for the PlayStation 2 was FIFA 2014, so it’s rather clear that some game creators were still keen on offering the audience games. Most game developers stopped offering PS2 games since 2006 when the new console came out. But other developers continued to offer support and even created a game version for the PlayStation 2. Which is quite extraordinary in its own right.

6. The US Air Force created a supercomputer from PlayStation 3s

It might seem strange and crazy, but this actually happened. The US Air Force went ahead and created a supercomputer from PlayStation 3s. It did require the use of 1760 PlayStation 3 units, but it did end up being a winner in the end. The interesting thing is that they opted for this approach because the PlayStation 3 units have a high power and a rather low cost at least when compared to purchasing multiple computers. The total cost for the supercomputer was around 2 million USD, but it could have been 10 or 20 times more expensive. Not to mention it could have used 10x the power.

7. The PlayStation 1 black disk had no purpose

At first, a lot of people believed that the black disk would have some sort of meaning or at least it would do something. But as it goes to show, that was not the case at all. It was there just because it looked great and it wanted to make a good impression for the customers.

8. The PlayStation controller was designed to represent the 3D graphics of the console

When they first created the console, their primary focus was on making sure that their controllers were matching the initial vision. It brought in front some great ideas and it made them meaningful again at a professional level. It was one of the most important factors to consider, and things did end up getting better and better all the time due to that.

9. Motor Toon Grand Prix was the first major PlayStation game

The game was originally created by a small team named Poly’s. However, this small team soon became Polyphony digital, and they are the developers behind the major Grand Turismo series that people know and love nowadays.

10. The PlayStation console was priced at 37000 Yen

The price was not super high as you can see, and around 100000 units were distributed in Japan, but those sold out immediately. As a result, Sony had to manufacture 200000 more and they were sold until the end of the month right after launch.

11. There were only 8 games available at the PlayStation launch

You had a train simulator, Ridge Racer, 2 mahjong titles and a few other interesting games. It wasn’t a huge launch to begin with, but it did have quite a lot of great games and some amazing options for players as they started to build their own collection of games.

12. PlayStation was widely sought-after audiophiles

Why is that? Mainly because it outperformed the high-end CD players that were thousands of dollars. And having all of that into a unit that was well under that price was enough for audiophiles to purchase it. That might very well be one of the reasons why the model sold so many units.

One thing is certain, PlayStation continues to be an amazing product and one that everyone enjoys. If you are a gamer, then you should totally at least consider giving this console a shot. It’s unique, it has amazing features and it will impress you with the tremendous value and quality. Plus, all its iterations delivered iconic games, something that will surely continue in the future with the PlayStation 5 and other upcoming models!