15 Years Later: ENOS Lives On [INFOGRAPHIC]

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Fifteen years ago today, PlayStation crawled out of the primordial ooze and took its first tentative steps onto North American soil. Being 15 at the time, I remember this moment with the kind of crystal clarity that only comes with youth (and way too much free time). Above all, I remember the TV advertisements. PlayStation’s 9/9/95 release was accompanied by a barrage of now-legendary TV and magazine spots peppered with confounding messages like “U R Not E” and “ENOS Lives” (which I recently learned stands for “Ready Ninth Of September,” in case that particular mystery was still haunting you).

Well, ENOS still lives. Fifteen years later, we decided to ask 3,000 North American PlayStation users what PlayStation means to them. And while the results are by no means scientific, they are entertaining — and, in at least one case, somewhat surprising. Enjoy, and feel free to share your own PlayStation 15-year anniversary memories in the comments below.

Growing up PlayStation infographic

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122 Comments

4 Author Replies

  • What a record…. Happy birthday PlayStation

  • And in my opinion I would pick Solid Snake as my favorite

  • Kevin Butler is my favorite.

  • Happy 15th, PlayStation! Here’s to 15 more awesome years!

  • Says in Octacon Voice: Snake………………….SNAKEEEEEEEE

  • Thanks sony now im hungry, give me a PS cupcake!

  • that make perfect sense, i mostly use my psp to listen music than playing game. can’t wait for that digital music distribution to come at Canada!
    i don’t have a ps3 but will one day, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! how are we gonna celebrate it? man i hope there will be Twisted Metal as one of the poster we will see in infamous 2 to make us remember playstation at 2010-2011.

  • As much as I love my PS3, this data is pretty sad

  • I totally agree with everything on this survey except the snacking part,I love food too much

  • You guys sure are making it suck to have my PS3 YLOD on me yesterday =( I still love you though Playstation!

  • wooow my long comment hasn’t been sussefuly posted, but hey! happy 15th year to playstation itself!
    the poll make perfect sense since i mostly use the psp to listen song than playing games.
    please make us remember the back day :D

  • Kratos and Drake FTW!

  • Happy 15th Birthday PlayStation! Keep up the great work!

  • I vote PS cupcakes for all PS members!

  • Kratos and Drake are indeed good matches. The 360 and the Wii have 1 maybe 2 big names. The PS3 however has a lot of big names. All the ones listed above are great examples of why there is something for everyone on the PS3.

    Happy Bday Playstation!

    Lets have another great 15 years!

  • If only Crash and Sly counted but those are second-party, huh? Well, in that case, Kevin Butler.

  • Too bad Spyro and Crash, who started out as PlayStation characters, aren’t anymore. They would have been ranked way up there, I’m sure!

  • I love your stats and info for this one.

  • 40% cannot have a partner that gets in the way of gaming???? LMAO good luck with that…this was obviously a survey full of kids and teens…

  • HAHAHAHAHA ok whenever i get a girl in my home i play little big planet girl go crazy with sackboy so thank you PlayStation ;)

  • playstation to go mega colorful for their 15th year! loved the theme!

  • Sackboy ftw! Can’t wait to get the LBP2 Collector’s Edition!!

  • No KB to break this down for us, just a chart huh? I think those playstation cupcakes are snacking propoganda.

  • We need more Spyro the Dragon and crash Bandicoot games, those are the ones most of us grew up on and now you guys took it away from us. I better hear about it in the works at E3 2011

  • Why aren’t Crash & Spyro up there? Is it because Sony doesn’t own them anymore? If it weren’t for Ratchet & Clank, Crash would be my favorite Sony mascot!

  • That favorite character list is slanted towards characters fresh in everyones memory.

  • The awesomeness of the PS3 brand, when KB made an appearance? Up 1000000%!

  • Platstation = Resident Evil

    Thank you for my first experience to one of the greatest franchise of all time.

    Once a PS player forever a PS player.

    Happy Birthday Playstation.

  • Kratos shouldn’t be the mascot (I love him, thought): when you think of a mascot, you think on a “familiar” face. Familiar meaning someone for the WHOLE family.

    Nathan’s Drake game is rated M. Both of them.

    Insomniac’s Ratchet would be a nice mascot, but let remember that the game developer turned THIRD PARTY a few months ago. I think it’s better to leave Ratchet saving the galaxy instead of posing for pictures =)

    The last one, Sackboy, oh my.. THAT’S THE ONE, SONY ! Look at him: adorable! His smart. He can build things, share thing and even PLAY! You can put a helmet on him, glasses, pajamas, clown shoes, Revolver Ocelot’s boots and etc !!

    I would love to see him as the mascot.

  • Happy 15th, PlayStation U Rock. Because The Sony PlayStation Made Gaming What It Is Today With Its Technology. The Sony PlayStation Just Keeps Getting Better And Better. My Family Has Been With The Console From The Start And We Are Not About To Stop Good Job Sony.

  • but hey, i remember one of my girlfriend dumped because i was playing FF7 too much! HAHA!! XD

  • We should be damn proud of those results, especially the dating ones ;)

  • Too bad Snake isn’t first part.

  • I need to buy my PlayStations a birthday cake and eat it in their honor.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLAYSTATION!

  • Kratos is a BAMF, but no one beats Nathan Drake!

  • I wish I would have taken this survey :(

  • So that’s why you sent out that survey! lol

    I’m glad I took the opportunity to fill it out. Those are some crazy stats.

  • happy birthday!!! SONY FOREVER

  • Sid Shuman can i ask you something??

    there it’s gonna be an open beta for Killzone 3 multiplayer online?? or at least a registered beta?

    i hope u can answer my question

  • I responded to that survey not too long ago. It falls mostly in line with what I answered too.

  • Can’t believe not that many like cole or nathan Hale, such Blasphemy burns my eyes, ughhh.

  • Hehe, I would be on the one of “no snacking during gameplay”. Messy room when finish playing

  • Love the Stats!

  • couldnt spyro be a first party character? because spryo is awsome. The stats are really interesting and some made me laugh like “nothing, need to concentrate”

  • Wow…You guys where actually listening to the servey I took?

    Besides that, what the heck is up with that last question you asked us, with the shaving and all? Or am I mixing up two different serveys? I remember answering the questions about what would you rather give up compared to video games and the relationships and video games question.

  • Man those gamers are newb Playstation fans :-). only 20 ?

    55 + Playstation 3 games collection here (and 350 + for PS1/2/PSP and 200 + for “other” systems and PC ) , Yes i am a show off :-P

    oh of those first party games Ape Escape/Omega Boost/MidiEvil FTW!

    also for Characters, if Gabe Logan/Lian Xing and Nathan Drake/Elena Fighter had a fight who would win? , i say Gabe Team because, well its an overkill , Gabe has too many “toys” to play with :-P so old School Playstation FTW

  • today is my birthday too! and adam sandler’s! I cannot think of a better group to share it with! thanks playstation for all the great memories and many more to come

  • this makes me a little teary eyed as Playstation has been part of my life ever since 1998 when mgs came out. ever since then its been a HUGE part of my life. through hardships and glory, my playstation(s) has seen me through them. Happy Birthday Playstation, i love you and heres to 15 more great years!

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