How Sony’s PlayStation changed gaming and entertainment forever

When Kendrick Lamar began his Super Bowl halftime show earlier this year, he picked a stage design likely familiar to most tuning in: a square, triangle, cross and circle.

The Grammy-winning rapper – in front of more than 133 million people – chose to perform on a massive, industrialised grid of flashing lights resembling a giant PlayStation controller.

It was a nice surprise present for Sony’s PlayStation, which this year is celebrating its 30th anniversary in North America and Europe. Lamar’s nod to the console – which Sony had nothing to do with – was another sign of how far the brand has penetrated the culture, in ways big and small.

From big-budget Hollywood fare like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie, to Juice Wrld’s video for “Hear Me Calling”, to The Last of Us on HBO Max, the PlayStation experience has leapt far past the console. Chandler Bing played a PlayStation 1 on Friends, and Shaun of the Dead’s title character fired at PlayStation zombies in the cult movie.

Kendrick Lamar performs on a grid of lights resembling a button on a PlayStation controller during the Super Bowl halftime show on February 9, 2025. Photo: AP

“We made gaming cool. When we came out, we were a little edgy, we were different, but it was really about being disruptive,” says Eric Lempel, senior vice-president of business and product at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “We feel we are a premier entertainment brand, not just a gaming brand.”

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