PlayStation Co-Creator Reveals He Owns Rare Nintendo PlayStation Prototype

by

Summary

  • Nintendo and Sony’s failed collaboration led to the birth of Sony’s original PlayStation.
  • Ken Kutaragi’s pristine Nintendo PlayStation prototype version has unique design features.
  • The only known console prototype remains costly and offers a look at what could have been.

Back in the 1990s, Nintendo and Sony had a deal to jointly create a console using CD technology. However, events unfolded differently than expected, ultimately leading to the emergence of Sony’s very first PlayStation.

Although the device was never commercially launched, prototypes had been produced and were auctioned off. It’s worth noting that Ken Kutaragi, often referred to as the “Father of PlayStation”, owns an unseen prototype model hidden in his closet.

Ken Kutaragi’s Nintendo PlayStation Console Looks Good As New

Earlier this month, Japanese photographer Julian Domanski encountered Ken Kataragi (through Time Extension). In a recent encounter, they were able to handle Kutaragi’s Nintendo PlayStation gadget, which Domanski states Kutaragi had kept hidden in his closet for safekeeping. This fact helps explain the device’s pristine condition as depicted in the shared images, given that it appears brand-new.

Unfortunately, only about 200 units of this console were produced, yet not a single one reached stores. The last known unit was auctioned off for an astonishing $300,000. However, the earlier version that circulated appears to be quite dissimilar from the one that Sony’s Kutaragi described when comparing them side by side (as reported by VGC).

Clearly noticeable, Kutaragi’s design of the console features a PlayStation logo in blue. Instead of having the labels “Reset” and “Eject” printed above the buttons like previous versions, these labels are engraved directly onto them. This revised design appears to be larger compared to its predecessors, but I must say it looks significantly more appealing.

For those not aware of the past collaboration between Sony and Nintendo: Sony had been working on a project with Nintendo, aiming to create an additional CD feature for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (known as Super Famicom in Japan). This innovation was intended to be the main attraction at the 1991 Consumer Electronics Show.

It’s said that just before the decision, Nintendo’s former CEO Hiroshi Yamauchi (who has since passed away) unexpectedly reversed his choice, deciding instead to partner with Philips for the creation of the CD-i console. Unfortunately, this console flopped spectacularly. As a result, Sony adjusted their strategy and launched the original PlayStation in Japan during 1994. The events that followed have become well-known, as history often does.

Through Kutaragi’s design of the console, we catch a glimpse of what might have materialized. One wonders what other hidden gadgets and abandoned technology, once under the command of the ex-PlayStation leader, may be lurking in his storage space. Here’s hoping we’ll uncover those secrets someday.

Read More

2025-03-20 22:09