Before they became industry rivals, Nintendo and Sony collaborated in the hopes of producing an advanced video game console for the ages. The tumultuous partnership concluded in 1991 with a batch of early PlayStation prototypes that, while functional, never saw the light of day. According to urban legend, the devices themselves were all destroyed, but that myth was busted when a Nintendo PlayStation was discovered at an estate sale in 2015. Naturally, fanboys of both allegiances had a field day marveling at the literal piece of gaming history.
Pictures of the system had initially surfaced online earlier in the same year, but the confirmation of an existing and seemingly operation model set forums on fire. Nintendo and Sony planned to have the console play both SNES cartridges and Sony discs and come with a variety of branded games. Unfortunately for everyone, however, the antique was unable to operate according to its design.
When the extremely rare version was found, it eventually made its way to internet vlogger and video game modder, Ben Heck. Like Liam Neeson, Heck is armed with a very particular set of skills and was able to repair the prototype entirely, allowing ithe CD drive to read discs with no interruption. The process and incredible results were documented in a video uploaded to Heck’s YouTube channel, which you can see below.
It’s pretty unlikely to imagine any future collaborations between the massive tech companies, so witnessing this prototype is like peering into an alternate gaming universe. If you already find yourself geeking out hard, you may want to take a moment to breath before you delve into the video. Prepare yourself for a trippy and insanely cool gaming moment courtesy of two corporations’ bad blood. Behold, the Nintendo PlayStation.
