Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation that was established on November 16, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan. SCEI handles the research and development, production, and sales of hardware and software for their high-selling PlayStation line of handheld and video game consoles. SCEI is also a developer and publisher of video games for their systems.

The president and CEO of SCEI is Ken Kutaragi, who is widely acknowledged as the creator of the PlayStation. SCEI is comprised of several subsidiaries covering the company's biggest markets: America, Europe, Japan, and Korea.

Consoles

PlayStation

Main article: PlayStation

Sony's first foray into the video game market, the PlayStation (formerly PSX, currently called PSOne), was initially set to be an add-on for Nintendo's Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Super Famicom video game consoles as an answer to Sega's Sega CD. When the prospect of releasing the system as an add-on dissolved, Sony transformed it into the PlayStation video game console. The PlayStation was released in Japan on December 3, 1994 and later in North America on September 9, 1995. The system was widely popular and quickly became the #1 selling video game console worldwide.

PlayStation 2

Main articles: PlayStation 2, PSX

Sony's second generation console, the PlayStation 2 or PS2 was released in Japan on March 4, 2000 and later in North America on October 26, 2000. The PS2 is powered by a proprietary CPU, called the Emotion Engine and is the first video game console to have DVD playback functionality. Another feature of the PS2 was its ability to be stood up vertically in addition to sitting horizontally like previous systems. Given the design of the hardware, game developers complained that the PlayStation 2 was too hard to develop for. Nevertheless, the PlayStation 2 sold more systems and more video games than its rivals, the Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft's Xbox. In December 2003 Sony upgraded the PlayStation 2 adding DVD burning abilities, a hard drive, and DVR functionality. The upgraded system was renamed the PSX (the former name of the PlayStation).

PlayStation 3

Main article: PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 is the tentative name for Sony's next-generation video game console due sometime in 2005 or 2006. The system is expected to be unveiled at the 2005 E³ event alongside Nintendo's Project Revolution and Microsoft's Xbox Next (Xenon).

Handhelds

PlayStation Portable

Main article: PlayStation Portable

After a successful run in the console market with both the PlayStation and the PlayStation 2, Sony moved into the handheld market. On May 11, 2004 Sony officially unveiled the PlayStation Portable or PSP during a press conference at E³. The PlayStation Portable is intended as an entertainment platform and is currently positioned to play videogames, video content, and digital audio, as well as displaying digital photos. Instead of using traditional cartridges, the PSP uses a proprietary disc medium called the Universal Media Disc or UMD. The system also uses Sony's memory stick for game saves and for the transfer of content to and from the PSP. The PlayStation Portable was released in Japan on December 14, 2004 and was released in the United States on March 24, 2005.

Games Franchises

• Ape Escape
• Formula One
• God of War
• Gran Turismo
• Hot Shots Golf
• Ico
• Jak and Daxter
• NFL GameDay
• Ratchet & Clank
• Sly Cooper
• SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs
• The Getaway
• Twisted Metal
• Wipeout

Structure

• Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. (SCEI)
• Sony Computer Entertainment Japan (SCEJ)
• Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA)
• Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE)
• SCE Studios Cambridge — (formerly Psygnosis) Cambridge, UK
• SCE Studios Liverpool
• SCE Studios London
  • SCE Studios Camden (defunct, merged with SCE Studios London)
• SCE Studios Santa Monica
• SCE Studios Soho
• Sony Online Entertainment

External links

• Official SCEI global website
  • North America - SCEA - Sony Computer Entertainment America
  • Europe - SCEE - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
  • see global link for other areas