He explained it poorly but he is right. It's not that gaming couldn't be enjoyed by adults but the overall image of gaming was that it was for kids. Sony's Playstation changed that image.

However, that isn't correct either.  Saying the Playstation itself changed that image or that Sony was the reason that the image changed is incorrect.  Sony didn't make those games, Sony didn't make some "inherently more adult" console.  So no, that's wrong too.

edit: In fact, I believe the "kiddy" image that Nintendo has stems from their squeaky clean family friendly attitude rather than actually being for kids.  For real, Metroid was made before Sony entered the gaming market.  Do you think that game was made with little kids in mind?  It was fucking modeled after the Aliens movies.  It's also a Nintendo game.  It may not have been the most popular game, but that's definitely something that was viewed as more adult.  

There was also Mortal Kombat before PS.  And I do NOT think that the PS suddenly made older people play games.  I still believe it took time before the transition was made.  I don't think Sony was responsible for that change.  I think it became easier to go after adults as hardware improvements were made since games weren't as limited as they used to be.  I also checked your profile and you seem like you do gaming anywhere except Nintendo (though that is only by looking at your profile, can't say if it truly reflects your gaming habits).  

Nintendo. They saved the industry.

Side note: No SEGA love for the poll though? They can at least be an option even if they aren't console makers anymore.

It would?  Are you sure?  Because investors and retailers had basically blackballed funding and sehlf space for anything video game.  Nintendo circumvented this problem with 2 actions.  1, they called it an entertainment system rather than video game system.  2, they did a major campaign in NYC at a retailer to test the market for video game consoles again and blew them away.

Had anyone else tried it and used the terms video games or not used a test market...or had the incredible Super Mario Bros to display it with, I don't think it would have ever come back.  At least not in the form that we know it today.  It would be something very different.  I suspect the computer industry would be the closest entity to have revitalized the industry but even they suffered pretty hard at first.

And while the crash largely affected the US, it was certainly felt in Japan and Europe as well.  You don't have a global industry go from $3 billion in revenue one year to $100 milion the next year without it affecting everything.

Nintendo! then Sega anf finally Sony and Microsoft both third.

Well I think it is nintendo.

But microsft were also the...
first to introduce social feature for gaming such as chat and cross game chat.
first to introduce digital content and downloadable game on console.
first to implement a true os on console.
first to give a real support for indie dev (correct me if i'm wrong here).
they were the first to offer free online service(xbox live silver) (sony were the first to offer free online multiplayer gaming).
First to offer lan connection for multiplayer on home console.

Thank you!

I believe the Philips CD-i had a very early form of OS.
You should check out the Sony PS Net Yaroze. Was very limited but completely open to all hobbyists.
The Xbox wasn't the the first to offer LAN though it may have been the first with Ethernet built in.  PS2 could LAN with a swtich, hub or router for instance.

I said the Playstation as a system(and the games that were released for it) changed that image, that doesn't mean that it was Sony's plan to begin with. It did however happen thanks to Sony releasing that system. And the fact that matures games were released on NIntendo's platforms before doesn't change the image. Just check out how gaming consoles were portraited on tv, there was a huge shift in and after geneartion of the first Playstation.

Nintendo allowed Super Famicom owners to download exclusive games through the St. GIGA satellite broadcasting service, using a "Satellaview" addon. I believe it also had built-in software that allowed you to walk around a virtual town and enter "buildings" to read news and check TV schedules.

Dreamcast used Windows CE, strangely enough.

SEGA Saturn offered free online gaming with SegaNet. Dreamcast continued this and brought the concept to Europe as Dreamarena.