"Sony Vet Recalls 'Almost Done' Game for Canceled Nintendo PlayStation"

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida recently shared fascinating insights into his experiences with the elusive Nintendo PlayStation prototype. In an interview with MinnMax, Yoshida, a longtime PlayStation employee, delved into his career at Sony, reflecting on his early days working alongside Ken Kutaragi, the revered 'father of PlayStation.' Yoshida joined Kutaragi's team in February 1993 during the development of the original PlayStation that ultimately graced store shelves. However, new team members, including Yoshida, were also introduced to the intriguing Nintendo PlayStation prototype.

Yoshida recounted, "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." The game in question drew comparisons to the Sega CD title Silpheed, a space shooter that streamed in assets from the CD. While Yoshida couldn't recall the developer or the specific location of development—whether in the U.S. or Japan—there remains a glimmer of hope regarding the game's existence in the archives. "I wouldn't be surprised," Yoshida noted, hinting at the possibility that the game might still be preserved on a CD.

The Nintendo PlayStation remains a highly sought-after rarity, fueled by its unreleased status and representing a tantalizing "what-if" scenario in the histories of Sony and Nintendo. As such, the prototype has garnered significant interest in auctions and among collectors. The prospect of revisiting Sony's space-shooter, originally intended for the Nintendo PlayStation, is particularly enticing. This isn't without precedent; Nintendo released the long-canceled Star Fox 2 years after its initial cancellation. Perhaps, in a similar vein, this unique piece of video game history could one day be unearthed and shared with the world.