"Sony Vet Recalls Near-Complete Game for Canceled Nintendo PlayStation"

In a fascinating interview with MinnMax, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida delved into his rich history at Sony, touching on his early days working alongside Ken Kutaragi, known as 'the father of PlayStation.' Yoshida joined Kutaragi's team in February 1993, during the development phase of the original PlayStation that eventually graced store shelves. However, new recruits like Yoshida were also introduced to the intriguing Nintendo PlayStation prototype.

Yoshida shared, "Everybody who joined [Ken Kutaragi]'s team around that time, the first thing they showed us was that Nintendo Sony PlayStation, like a prototype already working. And also they had almost finished a game on it. And I got to play the game on the system, the day I joined." This prototype, a rare glimpse into a potential alternate timeline for Sony and Nintendo, has become a sought-after collector's item due to its unreleased status.

The Nintendo PlayStation prototype console. Photo: Mats Lindh (Flickr/CC BY 2.0).

The game Yoshida played was likened to a space shooter, drawing parallels to titles like the Sega CD's Silpheed, which streamed assets from a CD. Although Yoshida couldn't recall the developer or whether it was made in the U.S. or Japan, he hinted at the possibility of its existence in Sony's archives, noting, "I wouldn't be surprised. You know, it was like a CD, so… yeah."

The Nintendo PlayStation prototype has garnered significant attention in auctions and among collectors, fueling curiosity about what could have been. The notion of reviving Sony's space-shooter game for the Nintendo PlayStation is intriguing, especially given precedents like Nintendo's release of Star Fox 2 years after its cancellation. There remains a glimmer of hope that this piece of gaming history might one day see the light of day.