Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
From LoveToKnow VideoGames
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) is a division of Sony Corporation, the electronics and entertainment giant based in Tokyo, Japan. SCEI was established in 1993 and creates the Sony PlayStation, PlayStation 2 and related hardware. The company is further comprised of subsidiaries responsible for the largest markets, including Europe, Asia, America, and Japan. SCEI is known better for their hardware consoles, the PlayStation line, rather than game franchises.
Sony PlayStation and PlayStation 2
Sony's entrance into the world of video games was almost by accident. In the early 1990's, Nintendo was working closely with the company to develop a CD add-on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The combination would have allowed for greater processing power and thus more complex and visually stunning games. The project never came to fruition, however, and Sony instead decided to turn their research into a stand-alone console. The Sony PlayStation was born at the end of 1994 and very quickly became the number one selling console, beating Nintendo's efforts at the time.
After the huge success of the original PlayStation (now called the PS1), Sony began work on the next-generation of technology. In 2000 the PlayStation 2 was released as the first gaming console to include DVD playback. Sales were strong and SCEI continued to dominate the gaming market, largely due to the support of popular franchises made exclusive to the PlayStation such as the Final Fantasy series.
PlayStation Portable (PSP)
With the enormous success of its PlayStation consoles it was only a matter of time before SCEI would enter the portable market. Handheld gaming systems had long been dominated by Nintendo (as had the home console market) and Sony faced stiff competition from the Game Boy Advance and the newly released Nintendo DS.
The PlayStation Portable, or PSP, has roughly the same processing power as the PlayStation 2. It's most notable features are its large screen and ability to play games, movies and music from the proprietary UMD disc or memory cards. The system made its debut in 2005 with a steep price tag of $250. The Japanese and U.S. launch were only months apart at the end of 2004, but the European launch was delayed until September 2005 due to product shortages.
SCEI Notable Game Franchises
- Arc the Lad
- Battle Arena Toshinden
- Dark Cloud
- God of War
- Gran Turismo
- ICO
- Jak and Daxter
- Legend of Legaia
- NFL GameDay
- NFL Xtreme
- NHL Faceoff
- Ratchet & Clank
- Twisted Metal
SCEI in 2005
President Ken Kutaragi recently announced plans to consolidate the various branches of SCEI into SCE Worldwide Studios. This announcement comes months before the presumed release of the PlayStation 3, a machine the company touts as an all-in-one home entertainment machine. SCEI continually pushes hardware to its limit and offers multiple functionality with its devices. They face strong competition from industry veteran Nintendo and the software giant Microsoft.
Sony Links
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