PlayStation 3 Turns One Year Old

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) on Friday celebrated the first birthday of its PlayStation 3 (PS3) computer entertainment system. Launched a year ago in North America, PS3 has revolutionized the industry with enhanced computational power, Blu-ray Disc capabilities, and free access to the PlayStation Network where users can experience online gaming, connect with other PS3 users, as well as download games, movies and other content.

In its first year, more than 200 software titles have been released for PS3 and more than 60 million pieces of content have been downloaded from the PlayStation Network worldwide. Also, through the continued support of and dialogue with PS3 users, hardware advancements and features have been added to the system through firmware updates, making it the most advanced computer entertainment system on the market today.

"When we designed PS3 our goal was to introduce a system so technically advanced that it could stand the test of time and could take the industry in a whole new direction, which for PS3 was high-definition entertainment," said Jack Tretton, President and CEO of SCEA. "While we're excited by the progress we've made this first year, we know that like our other platforms, the best is yet to come, especially given our new hardware and software lineup, and that PS3 will continue to take the industry to new heights for years to come."

PS3 is the first gaming system to provide a capacity of 50GB, thanks to its Blu-ray functionality. Current PS3 first party games are in the 20GB range, well north of the threshold of HD-DVD or DVD, allowing for unmatched potential for games, movies and other media.

"The inclusion of the Blu-ray drive in PS3 reflects Sony's absolute commitment to the format," said Sir Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation. "We firmly believe that Blu-ray is the best high definition format for consumers, providing superior capacity, next-generation games, more hit movie titles, and the best possible picture and sound quality. With PS3, you get an amazing game machine and a state-of-the-art high definition movie player, and it is clear from recent sales numbers that this combination is resonating with millions of PS3 customers."

SCEA recently introduced new PS3 hardware models and pricing and the company is already seeing strong sales momentum as a result -- PS3 sales have increased by 192 percent at the top 10 retailers in North America. The availability of new hardware, combined with the release of more than 160 software titles, is expected to sustain momentum through this holiday season and beyond.

SCEA also recently launched a new PS3 advertising campaign, the company's biggest marketing effort to date, designed to deliver a high-energy message with a focus on the exciting entertainment value of PS3 and exclusive content found only on PS3.