Unboxing the Original PlayStation

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Unboxing the Original PlayStation
Sid Shuman (he/him) Senior Director, Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications
8 Author Replies

Woo-hoo! The original PlayStation launched in North America 20 years ago today! To commemorate the big day, I thought it might be fun to crack open a sealed original PlayStation system — something I haven’t done since I was in middle school.

Let’s revisit a time before dual analog sticks and force feedback were considered standard, when game saves were stored on tiny plastic cards, when a double-speed CD-ROM drive and 2MB of RAM were your ticket to the biggest gaming experiences possible. Gather ‘round to see what greeted gamers on September 9th, 1995.

While I’ve got you, here’s a sneak peek at some upcoming limited-edition PlayStation 20th anniversary posters designed by the talented Cory Schmitz, whose work you may recognize from Sound Shapes, Santa Monica Studio’s new logo, and much more. He’s also a particularly big fan of the original PlayStation, as you can see here!

PlayStation 20th Anniversary Posters by Cory SchmitzPlayStation 20th Anniversary Posters by Cory SchmitzPlayStation 20th Anniversary Posters by Cory Schmitz

Stay tuned for more info on how you can get your hands on this sweet, sweet artwork. In the meantime, your phone has a gorgeous new lock screen.

20th Anniversary DualShock 4 20th Anniversary Wireless Headset
20th Anniversary DualShock 4
PlayStation.com 		20th Anniversary Wireless Headset
PlayStation.com
20yearsofplayplaystationplaystation gamesunboxing

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42 Comments

8 Author Replies

  • DragonIrons
    September 9, 2015 at 1:08 pm PDT

    1995?!?!? Seriously? Thought the PS1 was older…… so apparently I was laying on the floor like a 10 year old playing Final Fantasy 7 and LEgend of Dragoon when I graduated high school? lmao…….. ah the good ol days…..

  • fadingshadow
    September 9, 2015 at 1:10 pm PDT

    Did you lucky son of a gun! Rafael here (@DarkAngelRafael on twitter). Wishing the PlayStation a Happy 20th Birthday. Nostalgia running through my veins at the moment. The original PlayStation opened so many doors to worlds that made me lose track of reality. Let’s just say I was behind on homework. lol ^,..,^

    • Sid Shuman
      September 9, 2015 at 3:11 pm PDT

      Thanks Rafael! Glad you could stop by :) What was the first PlayStation game you played? Mine was Battle Arena Toshinden.

    • fadingshadow
      September 9, 2015 at 3:33 pm PDT

      @Sid The pleasure is all mine, Sid. I believe my first PSone game was either Tomb Raider or Final Fantasy VII. It’s been 20 years so my memory is a bit foggy. Haha. >,..,<

  • ATES
    September 9, 2015 at 1:13 pm PDT

    Sadly do not remember opening my ps1 but do remember opening my ps2 that came with gt3 in that red box, the ps3 day one, and ps4 day one (and both psp and vita day one)

  • chubigans
    September 9, 2015 at 1:13 pm PDT

    Please send that demo disc to Giantbomb’s Demo Derby crew, thx

  • samv33
    September 9, 2015 at 1:15 pm PDT

    Video seems a little too heavily edited — I wanted to see more. Never got a chance to unbox mine, as I bought it from a friend — who often lamented selling his to me since he ended up buying another one anyway.

    • smackinisaiah35
      September 9, 2015 at 1:27 pm PDT

      @samv33, I agree. I’m a little bummed by the editing also. I was hoping to get a good in-depth look at the back of the console and maybe some views of the box, for nostalgic value. I know I can easily find this stuff on Google, but if you’re gonna do an unboxing video for the hell of it, you might as well go all in. But HAPPY BIRTHDAY PLAYSTATION!

    • Sid Shuman
      September 9, 2015 at 3:12 pm PDT

      Yeah, we shot it and edited it very quickly to make the date. Maybe we can do a deeper dive at a later date. Thanks for the birthday wishes!

  • perrandy
    September 9, 2015 at 1:36 pm PDT

    ps one as i call it whats really something else for its generation.my bro got one of these during the first months or year of the console and never looked back since then.great console and to think it had so little ram those days haha.now the ps4 has 8gb and i’m hopping that the best is yet to come for it.happy anniversary to sony!

  • Superstone
    September 9, 2015 at 1:37 pm PDT

    Sure wish psone classics were playable on PS4.

    • Sid Shuman
      September 9, 2015 at 3:14 pm PDT

      Me too

    • ROLO_ONFIRE
      September 10, 2015 at 9:57 am PDT

      Yeah, Sony screw up big on this. PS4 is the ONLY PlayStation system that can’t play PS1 games. I was making a big PlayStation library since PS1 and carried it up to my backwards compatible PS3, but now on PS4 I’d have to ditch my collection, which I won’t do, so I don’t think I’ll ever get a PS4 (maybe in 2 years if it’s super cheap).

  • Mercenary09
    September 9, 2015 at 1:41 pm PDT

    Nice unboxing Mr. Shuman! Been with PlayStation for all 20 of those years and here’s to 20+ more!

  • subsamuel01
    September 9, 2015 at 1:43 pm PDT

    I still have my PS1 is working condition, the only game I have left for it that works is Crash 2.

  • Skater_Ricky
    September 9, 2015 at 1:44 pm PDT

    Happy 20th Anniversary PlayStation!

    #4ThePlayers #20YearsOfPlay

  • Skater_Ricky
    September 9, 2015 at 2:04 pm PDT

    @Sid Shuman, Can we get a new 20th Anniversary Theme for our PlayStation 4 for Free to celebrate this great day? Right now I’m rocking the original 20th anniversary theme we got a while back.

    • Sid Shuman
      September 9, 2015 at 3:15 pm PDT

      Thanks Ricky! The theme from last year’s 20 year celebration of the brand (i.e. Japanese launch) is still live on PS Store.

  • LUCIFERSGLEAM
    September 9, 2015 at 2:17 pm PDT

    I had the SCPH-1001 model and towards the end of its life it had to be turned upside down just for discs to read properly. Nostalgia trip there.

  • saiyanknight87
    September 9, 2015 at 2:38 pm PDT

    great vid sid hopefully get a chance to chat it up with you at PSX 2015 this year!!

  • Rezolution77
    September 9, 2015 at 2:44 pm PDT

    Vita will probably be the last Sony product I ever buy.

    You have only stayed in business this long, because there are not more competitors.

  • GoPens35
    September 9, 2015 at 3:05 pm PDT

    Just dug my seventeen year old Ps1 out hooked it up and after no less than ten years in that box it did two things the Ps4 can’t played the Witcher 3 soundtrack and Chrono Cross.

  • DismantleRepair
    September 9, 2015 at 3:41 pm PDT

    Now pop in Crash Bandicoot warped and you’ll be good to go

  • paulogy
    September 9, 2015 at 3:47 pm PDT

    And there it is! The system that started it all for PlayStation :-)

    I still have my PSX, in working condition, even after my roommate dropped his glass of lemonade into it. A bit of soldering later and it was as good as new (though a bit sticky ;-)

  • quickfire123
    September 9, 2015 at 4:03 pm PDT

    Where can I find this unlock screen, is it for androids too?

  • Kazuma_Wolf
    September 9, 2015 at 4:26 pm PDT

    I never did get to open an Original Playstation back in 95 but I was more of a Nintendo Shep back then. However my grandma had a Playstation and the first time I played it I was hooked. I wanted a Playstation and when I got one I never went back to Nintendo. Playstation was my life and I to this day still cherish the memories I have of that wonderful gray box.

  • davivman
    September 9, 2015 at 4:34 pm PDT

    I have that demo disk! I think! I bought my PS1 in 1995 and the demo disk that came with it had playable demos or game videos for Battle Arena Toshinden, Wipeout, Destruction Derby, Ridge Racer, Tekken, Air Combat, Twisted Metal, Warhawk, Philosoma, and KILEAK – The DNA Imparative. I don’t see anything on here for developer interviews though. Is this the disk that was featured in the video above?

  • jake78655
    September 9, 2015 at 5:16 pm PDT

    Where can I get that shirt Sid?

  • BlindMango
    September 9, 2015 at 6:05 pm PDT

    This was a “verrrrry verrrry” awesome video Sid =P 20 years of PlayStation, how crazy is that!

  • alzang676
    September 9, 2015 at 6:26 pm PDT

    as much as i love that grey beast, i love the PSOne more since it has the awesome LCD screen and with a car adapter and wall adapter, i could play it where ever i wanted. first games i remember playing were Toshinden, Jumping Flash, Warhawk, Ridge Racer and then Suikoden in 96.

    i’m sure Sony had a few sealed systems around in a warehouse in Cleveland.

  • HeavyD-Love
    September 9, 2015 at 7:14 pm PDT

    All this news about Playstation 20th anniversary really makes me think about PSOne classics.

    What a perfect time for Sony to finally announce digital PSOne classics cross buy/play on PS4 as they currently are on every other PSN connected system EXCEPT PS4 (PSP, Vita, and PS3)…… so us now PS4 only owners could actually PLAY these classic games.
    __________________________________________________________

    I used to own all 3 of those systems PSP, Vita, and PS3 and had purchased a large library of digital PS1 classics over the years. Unfortunately i had to sell my other systems due to financial hardships but I figured since digital PS1 classics cross buy/play is supported on every PSN connected system, just assumed it would also be on their newest most powerful PS4. Very disappointed not yet anyway, most likely thanks to PS Now >:(

    • youngangusyoung
      September 9, 2015 at 7:49 pm PDT

      I remember my first Playstation! I came home from school one day and there was a cd case on the coffee table, it said Ridge Racer on it, and I had no idea what it was for. I asked and he said you’ll see soon enough. A week and a half later i came home from school and there was a fresh Playstation box on the floor next to the tv, there on release day. I’ve been with the PS ever since. I have many great memories of the system, and I still have every one of my systems. Thank you Sony, for 20 years of the best games money can buy.

  • retro25
    September 9, 2015 at 8:15 pm PDT

    I still have my 8th interactive demo disc that contains demos from Spyro the dragon, Medevil, Grand Turismo and Test Drive 5.

  • NMinicanX
    September 9, 2015 at 8:24 pm PDT

    Wow! how time fly’s.. that unboxing was ok but I have a funny on here!!..https://youtu.be/M803mbnVpXs

  • jaydlaw20
    September 9, 2015 at 9:00 pm PDT

    Metal Gear Solid and Gran Tourismo. 2 favs

  • D-Squad3
    September 10, 2015 at 12:24 am PDT

    OMG how could you open a sealed PS1?!! How many of those exist in the world? Wish I had one.

  • BlueBl1zzard
    September 10, 2015 at 5:44 am PDT

    Discovered earlier this year that (after 11 years of living where I do now) our family’s PS1 was hidden in our garage all this time. Who knew? I also was not aware that the original PS1 controllers did not have analog sticks. Crazy.

    And you can bet your sweet patootie I picked up one of those 20th anniversary PS4 controllers to add to my collection! (Maybe they should release another model without analog sticks :p )

  • jgrizzle358
    September 10, 2015 at 9:30 am PDT

    LOL, your face gets so serious when you pick up the demo disc.

  • Welmosca
    September 10, 2015 at 12:18 pm PDT

    Oh nice video.I did a huge mistake of selling ma 1st and ma 2nd PS1’s…but I bought another afterwards and I still got it here up and running.Sometimes I still play something there when I have DAT desire to play a PS1 game that’s not available on the Store…cuz I still have ma PS1 game collection.

    PS1 and PS2 plugged in the SD TV.
    PS3 and PS4 plugged in the HD TV.
    PSP and Vita inside the cabinet.

    Still play all of them…PS3 and PS4 more frequently of course.

  • dealstoall
    September 26, 2015 at 4:14 am PDT

    It is excellent video. I always love to play PSP.

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