Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida recently shared insights into his experience with the unreleased Nintendo PlayStation prototype, including playing a nearly completed game developed for the cancelled console.
In a MinnMax interview, Yoshida recounted his career at Sony, starting with his early work alongside Ken Kutaragi, the "father of PlayStation." Joining Kutaragi's team in February 1993, during the original PlayStation's development, Yoshida and his colleagues were introduced to the Nintendo PlayStation prototype. Yoshida emphasized that this was a functional prototype, not just a concept.
"Everyone joining Ken Kutaragi's team around that time saw the Nintendo Sony PlayStation prototype first – a fully functioning unit," Yoshida stated. "They even had a nearly finished game. I played it on my first day."
The game, described as similar to a contemporary space shooter like Sega CD's Silpheed (which streamed assets from the CD), remains largely a mystery. Yoshida couldn't recall the developer or its origin (U.S. or Japan). However, regarding the game's potential survival in Sony's archives, he expressed optimism.
"I wouldn't be surprised if it still exists," Yoshida commented. "It was on a CD, so... yeah."
The Nintendo PlayStation is a highly sought-after collector's item, largely due to its unreleased status and the intriguing "what-if" scenario it represents. Its prototype has frequently surfaced in auctions and among collectors.
The prospect of this Sony-developed space shooter seeing release is intriguing, not entirely unprecedented. Nintendo's release of Star Fox 2 years after its cancellation provides a relevant example. Perhaps this lost piece of gaming history could yet emerge.
