Sony Computer Entertainment America, or SCEA for short, are celebrating the PlayStation family’s 15th birthday in North America. And damn, in fifteen years, PSOne, PS2, PSP and PS3 combined have scaled unimaginable heights, selling a total of 377 million units, and selling a total of 2 billion software copies. In the States alone, the PS family has generated a revenue of $63 billion- that amounts for a 40 % of the total video game market share in the country.
“When you look in the rear-view mirror at what was happening in 1995 you see that the video game industry was an entirely different animal,” said SCEA CEO Jack Tretton.
“Cartridges were still the preferred medium, and the market was a modest $2.6 billion in sales revenue annually. Many critics thought that a disc-based console with a lot of horse power would shoot over the heads of consumers, but our users proved them wrong.
“Now, we are seeing a convergence of video games and home entertainment, and a market that is a robust $20 billion in revenue. In the next 15 years and beyond, PlayStation will continue to bring new and more immersive experiences, like stereoscopic 3D, augmented reality as well as genre-defying gameplay into consumer living rooms.”
To celebrate the 15 year anniversary, this is what Sony will be offering all PS owners:
-Free downloadable PS3 & PSP static themes available for download on the PlayStationStore starting today
-Weekly discounts on select PS One titles within the PlayStation 15th anniversary collection page, available in all SCEA territories on PS3, PSP & Media Go Storefronts. In addition to a 50 percent sale on Super Rub A Dub (Super Rub A Dub offer good from Thursday, September 9, 2010 – through Monday, September 20, 2010).
-A PlayStation Home commemorative Original PlayStation (PS One) ornament for personal spaces available starting today.
You can check out more on this on the US PS Blog.