Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======PlayStation====== =====Object Information===== * **Type:** [[Muggle]] electronic entertainment device (video game console) * **Owners:** [[Dudley Dursley]] * **Maker:** Sony (a [[Muggle]] corporation) =====Description and Appearance===== The novels do not provide a physical description of the PlayStation. As a real-world [[Muggle]] object, it is a gray, rectangular electronic console designed to be connected to a television for the purpose of playing video games. It was a popular and contemporary piece of technology during the time period in which the story is set. =====Magical Properties and Usage===== The PlayStation is a purely [[Muggle]] artifact and possesses no magical properties. Its function is entirely dependent on electricity, a power source that is famously unreliable in heavily enchanted areas like [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. Its sole purpose is for entertainment. Users insert game discs into the console and use a handheld controller to interact with the games displayed on a television screen. It was one of many modern luxuries owned by [[Dudley Dursley]], contrasting sharply with the magical but often less technologically advanced items found in the [[Wizarding World]]. =====History===== The only known PlayStation in the series was owned by [[Dudley Dursley]] at [[Number Four, Privet Drive]]. It was presumably a gift from his parents, [[Vernon Dursley]] and [[Petunia Dursley]], who frequently spoiled him with expensive presents. In the summer of 1994, Dudley was forced to go on a strict diet prescribed by the school nurse at [[Smeltings]] due to his increasing weight. Enraged by his new, restrictive meal plan, Dudley threw the PlayStation out of his bedroom window in a fit of temper, destroying it. =====Role in the Story===== The PlayStation's appearance is brief but serves an important role in characterising the [[Dursley]] family and their lifestyle. Its mention firmly grounds the [[Privet Drive]] setting in the contemporary [[Muggle]] world of the 1990s. The act of [[Dudley Dursley|Dudley]] destroying such an expensive item in a tantrum highlights his spoiled, materialistic, and volatile nature. It underscores the stark contrast between his privileged, possession-filled life and the neglected upbringing of his cousin, [[Harry Potter]]. The incident serves as a clear example of the excess and anger that defined Dudley's character in his youth. =====Behind the Scenes===== * The inclusion of a PlayStation is chronologically accurate. The original Sony PlayStation was first released in Japan in December 1994 and in North America and Europe in September 1995. The events of //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire// take place from 1994 to 1995, placing the console at the peak of its popularity and making it a very likely object for a spoiled child like Dudley to own. * In the //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire// video game, the player briefly controls [[Harry Potter]] in [[Dudley Dursley|Dudley's]] bedroom. The broken PlayStation can be seen on the floor near the window, a direct reference to the event in the novel (video game).
