Looking Back on the PlayStation 3

With the PS3 leaving PlayStation Plus, we look back on this classic console.

Feb 28, 2019

By: Max Cannon

The PlayStation 3 was a console that went through several ups-and-downs since it released back in 2006. With Sony shutting down PlayStation 3 servers and giving out their final PlayStation Plus games on PS3 and Vita, it definitely feels like the PS3 is officially out of Sony's sights, so what better time to reflect on this interesting machine?

The many models of PlayStation 3.Courtesy of PS3Blog

A Slow Start Out of the Gate

The PlayStation 3 launched on November 11th, 2006 in Japan and November 17^th, 2006 in North America at a shockingly expensive $600 in the US. That was such a steep price tag and it should've been even more pricey because it cost Sony more than $600 to actually make and ship out each console. So launching a year later than the excellent Xbox 360 at such a high cost put the PS3 in a bad place. This rough start forced Sony to focus on creating some high-quality exclusives to really compete in the market. Luckily, those exclusives that kicked off in the late 2000s were so successful that they'd kicked off some series that we're still playing today. Uncharted, inFAMOUS, and more got their start thanks to the PS3.

Evolution of PlayStation: The Beginning

Many of the ideas that we take for granted today were really getting started in the 360/PS3 era. Access to an online store, downloading games/demos, sending messages and chatting on games, these are just some of the concepts popularized by these systems -- though the 360 did most of those things far better. Using YouTube and Twitch on your console were completely new experiences at the time, in fact, the PlayStation 3 was the world's most popular Netflix machine for a bit. And it's always nice to remember a time when it was totally free to game online.

The Powerful PS3

By the end, the PS3 had sold more systems than the 360 but it sure felt like the 360 was far more popular throughout the era. However, the PS3 was a rough-and-tough console that was famously HARD to actually develop games for. If you're looking for a fun fact to share at a party, the United States Air Force made a massive supercomputer by hooking together 1,760 PlayStation 3 systems. While that may be great for doing some insane computer-y calculations, your average game developer had a tough time making use of that power. The PS3 was confusing to develop games on, so games sometimes ended up looking worse than their 360 counterparts. But the exclusives absolutely blew the competition out of the water.

The US Air Force's collection of PlayStation 3s.

The PS3 is my all-time favorite console. It had some problems like weaker internet, a tiny, tiny controller, and sometimes poorer-looking games. But the ideas and innovations made in this era can still be respected today. Heck, if you find a PS3 then you'll have access to dozens of amazing games that you can't play anywhere else. It's an older machine, but as I said in an earlier article, there is value in playing older games and the PS3 is sure to keep you entertained, even today.