Sony Veteran Remembers 'Almost Finished' Video Game for the Canceled Nintendo PlayStation Console

In a recent interview with MinnMax, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida delved into his fascinating history with the Nintendo PlayStation prototype. Joining Ken Kutaragi's team, known as 'the father of PlayStation,' in February 1993, Yoshida was part of the development of the original PlayStation that eventually hit the market. However, his early days at Sony also allowed him a unique glimpse into the Nintendo PlayStation, a collaboration between Sony and Nintendo that never came to fruition.

Yoshida shared that new team members were introduced to the Nintendo PlayStation prototype right away. "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," he recounted. Remarkably, Yoshida also had the opportunity to play a nearly completed game on this prototype on his very first day. He compared the game to a space shooter similar to the Sega CD title Silpheed, which streamed assets from a CD. While Yoshida couldn't recall the developer or the location of its development, he hinted at the possibility of the game still existing in Sony's archives, suggesting, "I wouldn't be surprised... it was like a CD, so… yeah."

The Nintendo PlayStation, a product of a brief partnership between Sony and Nintendo, remains a highly sought-after collector's item due to its unreleased status. It represents a tantalizing "what-if" scenario in gaming history. The prototype has garnered significant attention in auctions and among collectors, adding to its mystique.

The prospect of revisiting Sony's space-shooter game developed for the Nintendo PlayStation is intriguing. Such a release would not be unprecedented; Nintendo famously released Star Fox 2 years after its cancellation. This opens the door to the possibility that this unique piece of video game history might one day be shared with the gaming community.