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 infamous Nintendo PlayStation prototype, including playing a nearly completed game developed for the cancelled console.

In a MinnMax interview, Yoshida recounted his career journey at Sony, starting with his early collaboration with Ken Kutaragi, the renowned "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 fully functional prototype, not just a concept.

"Everyone joining Ken Kutaragi's team around that time saw the Nintendo Sony PlayStation prototype – it was already working," Yoshida stated. "They even had a nearly finished game. I played it on my first day."

The game, reminiscent of 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's identity or the game's origin (US or Japan). However, regarding the possibility of the game's survival in Sony's archives, Yoshida expressed optimism:

"I wouldn't be surprised," he commented. "It was on a CD, so... yeah."

The Nintendo PlayStation remains a highly sought-after collector's item, a testament to its unreleased status and the "what-if" scenario it represents for Nintendo and Sony. The prototype's history is well-documented in auction records and collector communities.

The prospect of this Sony-developed space shooter seeing the light of day is intriguing, and not entirely 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.