Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PS one and PlayStation 2 hardware and software in 104 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania.
By the 30 September 2005, over 40 million PlayStation and PS one units had been shipped across these PAL territories and over 102 million worldwide. Between its European debut on 24 November 2000 and 29 November 2005, over 37 million PlayStation 2 units had been shipped across the PAL territories, over 102 million world-wide, making it one of the most successful computer entertainment products in history.
Between the launch of the PSP in Japan in December 2005 and 21 October 2005, over 10 million PSPs had been shipped worldwide.
With over 1100 employees in 11 countries and sales operations in another 91 countries, SCEE is capable of exploiting the opportunities that arise in its existing territories and its emerging markets in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
SCEE also has staff based in the Development Studios in London, Liverpool and Cambridge, and at the Quality Evaluation Department in Liverpool.
Sony's roots were planted in a bombed out Department Store in Tokyo in 1946. Masaru Ibuka, an Engineer, and Akio Morita, a Physicist, invested the equivalent of £845.00 to start a company with 20 employees repairing electrical equipment and attempting to build their own products.
The success story really began when Tokyo Tsuchin Kogyo, as the company was named, obtained a license in 1954 to make transistors. The transistor had been invented in America but it had not been applied to radios, which were valve driven appliances. Sony made Japan's first transistor in May 1954 and the first all-transistor radio.
Since ...