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 defunct console.
In a MinnMax interview, Yoshida recounted his career at Sony, starting with his early work alongside Ken Kutaragi, widely known as the "father of PlayStation." Yoshida joined Kutaragi's team in February 1993, during the development of the original PlayStation—the one that ultimately launched. However, new team members were also introduced to the Nintendo PlayStation prototype.
"Everyone joining Ken Kutaragi's team around that time saw the Nintendo Sony PlayStation prototype first – a functional prototype," Yoshida stated. "They even had a nearly finished game. I played it on my first day."
While the game's genre resembled a contemporary space shooter, possibly similar to Sega CD's Silpheed in its use of CD-based assets, Yoshida couldn't recall the developer or its origin (U.S. or Japan). Regarding the game's potential survival in Sony's archives, he expressed optimism.
"I wouldn't be surprised," Yoshida commented. "It was on a CD, so... yeah."
The Nintendo PlayStation remains a highly sought-after collector's item, largely due to its unreleased status and its representation of an alternate gaming history for Nintendo and Sony. Its prototype has commanded significant attention in auctions and among collectors.
The prospect of this Sony-developed space shooter seeing the light of day is intriguing. It's not unprecedented; Nintendo famously released Star Fox 2 years after its cancellation. Perhaps this lost piece of gaming history could yet emerge.
