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

  • Happy 15th birthday Playstation! You guys have been with me since I was 5 years old with Spyro the Dragon on PS1 and since then I’ve never looked back. The only other console I’ve ever had was the Sega Saturn. In a way, Playstation has kind of made me the person I am today. Parents+Playstation= Me.

    Thank you Playstation for providing, year after year, the only console that continues to bring something genre defining to the industry. With every new console a new format. CD->DVD->Blu ray-> only you know what’s next.

    Happy 15th Playstation and above all thank you, I don’t think I would be a gamer without you.

  • Why is sweet tooth not there?

  • oh and kratos all the way but nathan drake is also a great character

  • I didn’t think Ratchet and Clank counted as first party characters. I guess they sort of do.

  • Kratos+SackBoy+Ractchet AND Clank FTW! Nathan+Jak=Meh.

  • 40% of PS3 gamers cannot be in a relationship with a partner who gets in the way of gaming.

    23% cannot date anyone that sets limits on my gaming.

    I LMAO at those!

  • I feel old and I’m only 28, I was 13 when PlayStation launch. I remember Destrution Derby and others like Crash.

    We gotta thank Nintendow, Because if they hadn’t back off the deal with a Super Nintendow CD. PS3 or the The PlayStation Blog wouldn’t be here today.

  • AND Sweet Tooth OWNS!

  • Where are the “monthly dynamic themes and premium avatars” we were promised on the 6/24 blog about PlayStation Plus? We got nothing in August and so far only 1 in September.

  • I took that survey :)

    15 years ago, I was buying a new Playstation while my Japanese import Playstation was being repaired (friend dropped a penny in the disc drive lol)

  • “Nathan’s Drake game is rated M. Both of them.”
    Uhhh no, they’re both rated T.

    It’s been 15 years? God, I’m old.

  • jak and dexter should make it for ps3… we need more of their unique funny games :P

  • I have grown up with gaming and (of course) PlayStation all my life. I was born on 06/20/95 and we got a PlayStation a few months after launch. I have very happy memories of sitting on my dads lap while he played Resident Evil. I also loved watching my sister play Crash Bandicoot. (wheres he been?) PlayStation, you helped shape me into what I am today. A straight A student (Resident Evil 2/3 puzzles), who loves being active and plays sports (Spyro and Crash always gave me energy), and who loves VIDEO GAMES! ( PlayStation FTW)

    Where would I be without you PlayStation?

  • Haha i remember taking this survey, happy birthday playstation and im looking forward to 15 years more and +. u guys are amazing. keep up the great games

  • no sweet tooth?
    anyway happy 15th PS!!!!

  • way to go. nice infographic. It’s funny how the info is so true, sad, and funny. I agree with a lot of it. Once you have a girlfriend that plays Co-Op and Versus with you, you can never go back to non-gaming girlfriends.

  • My favorite character is Auron from Final Fantasy X, but it’s a 3rd party game. I also agree with most of the survey. It’s hard to eat and game. In response to comment #30, the Uncharted series is rated T. I think Kratos should be the mascot. If you thought of any Playstation exclusise, you would think of the GOW series. Just another perspective.

  • If all of olympus will deny me my vengeance then all of olympus will die.
    Man, God , LEGEND!!!!
    Kratos !!!!!!

  • Happy Birthday Playstation! The PS3 was my first real console that I bought and will cherish it forever <3

  • I’m cool with Kratos and Drake, but… Snake anyone?

    I mean, I know you guys only picked first parties, but c’mon, Snake was reborn on the original PSOne and since then, the MG saga is following every iteration of the Playstation saga with at least launch exclusivity.

    Oh, and did I mention that the day before yesterday he completed 23 years?

    Happy Birthday Snake and Playstation!

  • any1 at sony going release a top 100 list of best selling ps3 games worldwide with sales figures??

    plz do it.

  • Spyro is amazing (back when insomniac worked on him)

  • who eats while playing videogames? I guess they must be fat pigs

  • Happy Birthday PlayStation :)

    Should I buy a cake? lol

  • 40 percent wow, i need kids to carry on my gaming legend…

  • I didn’t even remember when the first Playstation was released because I was about a month old but I did remember playing Tekken 3 on my father’s Playstation when I was 5 years old and I asked my mom, can I get a PS2? She said no. Memories. After seeing Sony improve every year with their games and their systems, it’s amazing. Happy 15th Birthday, Playstation.

  • Ktatos.Real man!

  • Awesome.. Great Survey :D think I might of been apart of those numbers :D

  • I remember seeing both of those commercials when i was 9 n begged my mother to get me a ps for my upcoming birthday. its good to finally know what it all meant. It was atleast a month before i could get my hands on any games for my ps but i played the hell out of the demo disc that came with it. Ridge racer, nfl gameday, jet moto, 2extreme, plus much more and a bunch of hidden videos and cheat codes that appeared once you hit L1 or R1.

    Thanks for all the memories, late nite gaming sessions n missed school days lol. I can’t wait to see what the next 15+ yrs will bring.

  • No love for Sly Cooper?:( He awesome, I would have voted for him if I did this survey.

  • Whoa!!

    I actually got that survey and as i took it, I thought to myself “gee this survey is getting a little personal”
    awwww…I didn’t know i was that special thanks sony!!

  • I have introduce my girl to my PS3 and PS3 has met girl. They are in love with LBP and Move! :-)

    Thank you PlayStation, for an amazing game console!

  • 100% of gamers would love a crossover game between Sony VG characters.(on psp)

  • I love you playstation , you’ve been there my whole life I would never choose another console over you .

    and I am 15 years old , so I kinda grew up with you ;)

  • This game is really nice and likes by kids. this site is awesome and great. thanks for give me wonderful information about the games.

  • Happy B-Day PS — RIP PS3 :_( it was good while I had you —

  • You guys know how to throw a birthday for fans :D

    Were’s my crash bandicoot love :)

    i think that list was made of newer gamers.

  • The day Kingdom Hearts released I knew I would someday own a PS2. Some time later… After saving my money for over a year for a PS2, the PS2 Slim was suddenly released and I had to have it. I was blown away how such a amazing device was so small and slim. Ever sense I have forsaken all others, my gods became Kratos, Tidus, and Sora. The rest is history. Then PS3 took it to the next level and became the family entertainment box. There has not been a single day that we haven’t powered it up to listen to music, view family photos, get in touch with friends and family, watch our favorite TV shows/movies, or just played a game together. Thanks Sony :)

  • Sweet tooth is my pick.

  • Man, when I first got my playstation I was the happiest clam in the world. I still have my memory card with all my data from my PS1!

    Unfo, got a YLOD recently and lost all my PS1 and PS2 memcard data on my PS3 hard drive. Please please! Consider a service to allow people to recover data on their hard drive when they get their PS3 replaced! This is really hurting my fanboyism for my Sony consoles =/

  • Happy birthday to you !

    Happy Birthday to you !

    Happy Birthday dear Sony!

    Happy Birthday to you! :D

    AS the video say: Sony will lead the way into the future :)

    And now i am starting to understand the words: Next gen dosent start before sony says so. And thx good sony have said the words :D!

  • My favorite character is Nathan Drake, he is more human to me than any of the others; and I like Uncharted more than those games as well.

  • Dear Playstation,

    Congratulations for your 15th birthday. And I really hope that will be many more :)

    I`ve been on the family for 15 years and I`ll continue to support it for as long as it takes.

    By the way, Drake, Elena and Sully FTW!

  • wow!!! i cant believe its been 15th years of PlayStation!!!! sweet!!!!! u guys just need to put focus on the psp go!!!!…..Congratulations Sony on the 15th year mark of the being the best!!!!!!

  • I was a Sega 32Xer. Then someone at work was bragging about his PlayStation and the games Tomb Raider and Resident Evil. I bought the system, borrowed his games and the next weekend I bought them myself.

    I have been playing PlayStation since that point. I still have 32X and the consoles before Sega Genesis, but PlayStation (1, 2,3 infinity) is my system of choice. The best franchises and games. And of course, Home. My home away from home.

  • I guess that this picture say it all.
    http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/3316/dsc02851f.jpg
    Happy birthday Playstation!

  • I’m lucky that my wife loves gaming on Playstation as much as I do, she even got everyone on FF7 to level 99 with the best weapons and 210% in Castlevania: SoTN!

  • Wow ! Has it been fifteen years since the Playstation debuted ! It seems like it only yesterday I bought my Playstation 1 console at a local sears, came home anxious to hook it up and play Ridge Racer and Battle Arena Toshinden !

    The Playstation has come a long way since it got its start as a cd-rom add -on for the Super Nintendo !

    Happy BDay !

    P.S. Now if we could just get those annoying “Disc Read Error” and “Overheating” issues resolved, we may be onto something !

  • I’m in that 7% “Will only date people who like to game.”
    I once broke up with a girl because she said Katamari Damacy was “too confusing and an ill contrived piece of trash”, I asked her what video game she liked and she said “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Quoting hamlet at me did not help the matter. I am now engaged to a woman (getting married in October) who is a higher level than me in borderlands, favorite game on psp is Valkyrie Profile, is a follower of SVER, and has been to Rapture twice (along with other games). I couldn’t be more happy to be in that 7%.

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