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

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. As Yoshida emphasized, 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 – it was already functional," Yoshida stated. "They even had a nearly finished game. I played it on my first day."

The game itself was reminiscent of a contemporary space shooter, possibly Silpheed for the Sega CD, utilizing assets streamed from a CD. Yoshida admitted to not recalling the developer's identity or the game's origin (U.S. or Japan). However, 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 due to its unreleased status, representing a fascinating "what-if" scenario in gaming history. Its prototype has frequently appeared in auctions and among collectors.

The prospect of this Sony-developed space shooter seeing release is intriguing, not unprecedented. Nintendo's release of Star Fox 2 years after its cancellation serves as a precedent. Perhaps this lost piece of gaming history could yet emerge.