STACK #253 November 2025

GAMING FEATURE

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On November 15, 1995, Australians were first able to get their hands on Sony’s debut in the game console space, the original PlayStation. In the decades since we’ve seen several generations come and go, and for many “PlayStation” has become synonymous with gaming. Here’s a quick look back at some milestones… Words Amy Flower 30 YEARS OF PLAYSTATION IN AUSTRALIA

PlayStation 4 (2013) With a catchcry of ‘This is for the players”, Sony returned to the console fray in Australia on November 29, 2013, with the PS4. More affordable, and with much-improved developer friendliness, the PS4 also gave us brilliant remote play. Indie games thrived on the system, as did major releases such as Horizon Zero Dawn, Bloodborne, Spider-Man, and Ghost of Tsushima . The PS4 gave us cinematic storytelling on a whole new level - and with an updated DualShock controller that felt pleasingly next-gen. With over 117 million units sold, it’s fair to say that the PS4 was quite a success. PlayStation 5 (2020)

On November 12, 2020, the PS5 launched – amidst a worldwide pandemic - and sparked madness. Stock shortages turned the consoles into unicorns, but, when we got our hands on them, wow! With speedy SSD storage, stunning visuals, PS4

cinematic experiences and stories that made us laugh, cry, and, sometimes, rage quit… There really was something for everyone. With 160 million units sold it remains the king of the consoles, and for many it formed myriad core memories.

compatibility, and the evolutionary DualSense controller – complete with adaptive triggers and haptic feedback - the PS5 felt like a true generational leap. Launch titles merely hinted at the greatness that was to come, with later hits like Spider-Man 2, Returnal, and Horizon Forbidden West ably demonstrating the console’s incredible power. As of around about now, the PS5 has sold more than 50 million units.

PlayStation (1995) With a big and brash launch, Sony’s original PlayStation – an unassuming grey box with a CD-ROM player flap on top – let Nintendo and SEGA know that they had serious competition. With its polygon graphics – perhaps the greatest leap in gaming tech ever - the PlayStation heralded quite the cultural shift. Who could forget classics like Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, Tomb Raider, Gran Turismo, and Final Fantasy VII ? Polygons ruled, memory cards were treasured, and WipeOut let us know that racing super-pointy spaceships to banging techno was a thing of sheer beauty. Ultimately, over 100 million units sold, taking PlayStation from new kid status to the one to beat. PlayStation 2 (2000) Enter the PS2 - big, black, and brilliant! Launched locally on November 30, 2000, it gave us backward compatibility with our PS1 collections, online multiplayer, and bonus DVD playback. Oh, and games? What wonderful games! From GTA: San Andreas to Shadow

PlayStation 3 (2007) On March 23, 2007, Sony released the rather gargantuan PlayStation 3 in Australia. It was powerful, but complex. Many developers struggled with its proprietary architecture, but once such challenges were untangled the PS3 hit big. It gave us wireless controllers as standard, and gems like The Last of Us, Uncharted, LittleBigPlanet, and Demon’s Souls . Also, notably, the PlayStation Network – or PSN – made its mark, and trophies were born! Notably, the PS3 also helped the Blu-ray format beat HD DVD in the video format wars. Despite a wonky beginning, the PS3 eventually made its way to 87 million units sold.

More than machines

As any fan will attest, PlayStation isn’t just about hardware, with many of their IPs becoming cultural icons. PlayStation owned

studios such as Naughty Dog, Insomniac, Sucker Punch, and Santa Monica Studio

continually deliver AAA series hits, with the likes of The Last of Us , Ratchet & Clank , Ghost of Tsushima , and God of War becoming gaming legends – and household names.

A PS in the hand PlayStation hardware has gone beyond TV-tethered consoles, with two notable handheld releases over the years. The PlayStation Portable – or more mouth-friendly PSP – hit our shores on September 1, 2005, and delivered a raft of unique games that still delight fans to this day. Then, on February 23, 2012, the PS Vita was unleashed. Boasting an OLED screen and a wide variety of games, including classic series entries unique to the format, it even spawned a variant that plugged into the TV, aptly named PlayStation TV.

of the Colossus, God of War to Ico and Okami , the PS2 delivered

16 NOVEMBER 2025

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