The PSX? The PSX was released only in Japan, and barely sold anything. How can it be influential? It did introduce the XMB.
But in all seriousness, its the PS. The video game crash of 83-85 was significant, but the market for video games was already proven. The Atari 2600 was way to basic to make a lasting appeal, and the NES was IMO just a step above. If Nintendo wouldn't have been there Atari or Sega would have filled in the place.
The PS on the other hand is irreplaceable. Made gaming mainstream, launched the concept of a multimedia box, rather than a purely gaming system, and made the 3rd party publishers and developers the ones that actually dictate the shape of the industry, making the genre selection process far more natural and multi-faceted, and giving them a real leverage in what way they want the industry to evolve. So yeah, gaming as we know it would have been far more different (and boring) if the PS was never launched.
Vote the Mayor for Mayor!
