Philips, officially Koninklijke Philips N.V., is a Dutch company founded in Eindhoven in 1891 by Gerard and Frederik Philips. Initially focused on manufacturing carbon-filament light bulbs, the company rapidly expanded its expertise into various areas of technology, earning a reputation for innovation. Over its long history, Philips has played a pivotal role in the development of key technologies, such as the compact cassette, the compact disc (CD), and later, DVD and Blu-ray in collaboration with other companies.

In addition to its contributions to music and home entertainment, Philips made forays into gaming and multimedia with products like the Philips CD-i in the early 1990s. The CD-i (Compact Disc Interactive) was an ambitious attempt to blend gaming, education, and interactive media into one platform, offering a unique experience that bridged the gap between video games and home entertainment. While its commercial success was limited, the CD-i remains a notable part of Philips' legacy and a fascinating chapter in the history of interactive technology.

The Philips CD-i (Compact Disc Interactive) was a multimedia system introduced in 1991 that combined elements of a home video game console, media player, and educational tool. It was designed to play a variety of CD formats, including CD-i, audio CDs, CD+G, Karaoke CDs, and Video CDs. Powered by a Philips SCC68070 processor at 15.5 MHz, the CD-i offered resolutions ranging from 384×280 to 768×560 with support for 16.7 million colors. Its versatility extended to its sound capabilities, offering two-channel ADPCM audio. While marketed as an all-in-one entertainment device, the CD-i's primary appeal was its promise of interactive multimedia experiences, including games, educational content, and digital movies. The system gained attention for its "Digital Video Cartridge," which enabled playback of Video CDs with MPEG-1 encoding.

Philips released several models tailored for different audiences, from the consumer-oriented 200 and 400 series to the professional 300 and 600 series used in training and presentations. While its gaming capabilities were notable, the CD-i struggled to compete with traditional gaming consoles due to lackluster software, cumbersome controllers, and high prices. Despite early enthusiasm for its potential as an innovative multimedia platform, the CD-i's market impact was limited, and it was discontinued in 1998. Its legacy is remembered for its experimental approach to merging gaming, education, and entertainment during the early '90s.