The original PlayStation launched in Japan in December 1994 and reached North America and Europe in 1995, introducing many players to CD based gaming. Its startup sound was composed by Takafumi Fujisawa and was designed to signal a powerful new 3D entertainment experience in a short boot sequence. As the console became one of the best selling systems of its era, the sound was heard in millions of homes. It remains widely reused in retro videos, remixes and memes celebrating 1990s gaming culture.