When was the PlayStation released?

The PlayStation grew out of a failed partnership in which Sony was to make a CD-ROM add-on for a Nintendo console. When Nintendo backed out, Sony engineer Ken Kutaragi pushed the company to build its own machine. The PlayStation launched in Japan on 3 December 1994 and reached North America on 9 September 1995 at a price of $299. Its use of cheap CDs and strong 3D graphics attracted developers, and it became the first console to sell more than 100 million units. Its successor, the PlayStation 2, went on to become the best-selling home console of all time.