Inside the rare Nintendo PlayStation prototype: History, restoration, and technical breakdown

Retro gaming is full of fascinating stories, especially when it comes to rare hardware like the SNES Game Wizard, but few discoveries are as surprising as the Nintendo PlayStation. A prototype from a failed collaboration between Nintendo and Sony, it combined SNES cartridge support with emerging CD-ROM technology. Believed lost for years, a working unit resurfaced in a Pennsylvania attic in 2009.

In 2015, Dan Diebold casually mentioned on Reddit that his father, Terry Diebold, had a console branded with both companies’ logos. Initially dismissed as a hoax, Dan proved the find was real by uploading photos and a video, confirming the prototype’s existence. Rumors of the system had circulated for years, with hobbyists creating emulators and homebrew games based on leaks and speculation. The prototype’s discovery gave fans a chance to test those creations on real hardware for the first time.

The console’s backstory is just as dramatic as its rediscovery. Nintendo’s infamous decision to end its partnership with Sony—in favor of a deal with Philips—killed the project and helped spark the console wars of the 1990s, turning Sony into one of Nintendo’s biggest rivals.

Nintendo and Sony’s failed partnership that reshaped gaming

Collaboration, drama, and the fallout that changed the industry

Source: Electronic Gaming Monthly

In the late 1980s, Nintendo dominated the home console market with the Famicom and NES while preparing to launch the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). To enhance the SNES’s audio capabilities, Nintendo partnered with Sony, which developed the SPC700 sound processor under engineer Ken Kutaragi.

The partnership expanded in 1988, when the two companies began developing a CD-ROM add-on for the SNES, combining cartridge and disc functionality to support larger games and improved audiovisual features. The collaboration was officially announced in 1990, and by 1991, Sony revealed the project’s name: the “Play Station” (two words at the time).

The deal soon unraveled. Upon reviewing the contract, Nintendo realized the licensing terms heavily favored Sony’s control over CD-based game revenue. After unsuccessful renegotiation attempts, Nintendo abruptly partnered with Philips, announcing the switch just a day after Sony’s reveal at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The decision blindsided Sony and ended the collaboration.

In response, Sony pivoted from partner to competitor, using its research from the project to develop the PlayStation. When the console launched in 1994, it exceeded expectations for a company known for consumer electronics rather than gaming. By attracting third-party developers frustrated with Nintendo’s strict licensing policies, Sony reshaped the industry and ended Nintendo’s dominance. The fallout sparked the console wars of the 1990s, setting the stage for a new era of competition.

Leaked documents, emulation, and the growing legend of the Nintendo PlayStation

Interest in the Nintendo PlayStation didn’t disappear after the project was canceled. In 2014, a leaked document from 1993 revealed what the final version of the SNES-CD might have been. Compared to earlier prototypes, it featured:

• 1.5 MB of DRAM
• 128 KB of PSRAM
• 32-bit RISC processor
• A custom audio DAC and amplifier
• An ASIC combining a 65c02 processor and audio decoders for CD-ROM management

While these specifications were likely the result of Nintendo’s in-house development after splitting from Sony, they sparked new interest among retro gaming fans. Without access to the hardware, hobbyists built emulators based on these leaks, creating a functional virtual version of the console years before a physical prototype surfaced.

Even more remarkably, homebrew developers began creating games for the emulated system. Despite the fact that no one had ever played on the real console, a community had already formed around it. When the prototype was eventually discovered, it gave developers the chance to test their games on actual hardware—bringing years of speculation and development full circle.

The rediscovery of the Nintendo PlayStation prototype

A forgotten console found in a Pennsylvania attic

In 2009, Terry Diebold, a maintenance worker at the defunct Advanta Corporation, unknowingly purchased what would later be confirmed as the only surviving Nintendo PlayStation prototype. While bidding on a box of office equipment at a company auction, he discovered a console featuring both Sony and Nintendo branding—an artifact believed to have been lost after the failed partnership.

The prototype’s presence at Advanta may be linked to Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, a former Sony Computer Entertainment executive who later worked for the company. While never officially confirmed, this remains the most likely explanation for how the console ended up in a Pennsylvania attic.

Though Terry and his son, Dan Diebold, didn’t immediately grasp its historical significance, they figured it was worth saving—especially since Dan had never seen anything like it before. Believing it could be important, they stored the console safely in their attic, unaware of how valuable it would later become.

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Proving it was real: Reddit, skepticism, and the reveal

In 2015, Dan stumbled across a Reddit discussion about the abandoned collaboration between Nintendo and Sony. Joining the conversation, he casually mentioned that his father had a console with both companies’ logos sitting in their attic. Predictably, his comment was met with skepticism, with most users assuming it was just another troll post.

To prove his claim, Dan uploaded photos and a short video of the console. The images revealed hardware details that matched what little was known about the prototype: a top-loading SNES cartridge slot, a CD-ROM drive, and dual branding from both Nintendo and Sony.

The gaming community quickly recognized the importance of the discovery. Until then, the survival of any prototypes had been nothing more than speculation. Now, with clear visual evidence, it was undeniable—at least one Nintendo PlayStation had survived, transforming what had been a long-standing gaming legend into documented history.

Restoring the Nintendo PlayStation prototype

Ben Heck’s teardown and repairs

After the discovery gained widespread attention, the Diebolds enlisted Ben Heckendorn, a well-known hardware engineer and YouTuber, to restore the prototype. When Heck first examined the console, it powered on and ran SNES cartridges, but the CD-ROM drive remained non-functional.

During the teardown, Heck found clear signs of the console’s prototype status. Several bodge wires were directly connecting components on the board—common in hardware still undergoing testing. He also found areas with heavy flux residue and surface-mount device (SMD) components lifted on one side and wired directly to integrated circuits (ICs). These details suggested the system had been actively worked on when development was halted.

Further testing revealed that both SNES and Famicom cartridges ran without region-locking, though the physical size of the cartridge slot restricted some games from fitting. Heck also discovered that the board had likely been modified to disable the Sony CD-ROM components, which explained why SNES cartridges worked while the disc drive didn’t. This modification may have been made intentionally—potentially to allow Ólafur Jóhann Ólafsson, if he was indeed the original owner, to preserve the console without risking the exposure of Sony’s proprietary technology.

Testing the hardware with homebrew games

With the console running cartridges reliably, Heck tested the CD-ROM drive using homebrew games created by the emulation community. Titles like Magic Floor and Super Boss Gaiden provided a rare opportunity to see how the system handled disc-based content, despite no official games ever being developed for it.

While the prototype successfully loaded and played the games, minor issues with memory allocation and timing emerged. After discussing the results with a homebrew developer, the cause was quickly identified: small discrepancies between how emulators simulated the hardware and how the real system behaved. Instead of exposing flaws in the console itself, these differences helped developers refine emulators and improve future homebrew development.

Running fan-made games on the actual hardware marked a significant achievement. A system once thought lost to history was now functioning as intended, validating years of emulation efforts and offering deeper insight into what might have been.

Technical breakdown of the Nintendo PlayStation prototype

A hybrid of SNES hardware and CD-ROM technology

The Nintendo PlayStation prototype combined familiar SNES hardware with custom components designed to support CD-ROM functionality. The system featured a top-loading SNES cartridge slot for full compatibility with existing games, alongside a front-loading CD-ROM drive intended for disc-based titles. It also included standard SNES controller ports and supported audio CD playback, positioning it as both a gaming console and multimedia device.

During his teardown, Ben Heck confirmed that the console was built around the same 16-bit Ricoh 5A22 processor used in the SNES. To handle larger CD-based game data, the system included 256 KB of additional work RAM. For audio, dual digital-to-analog converters (DACs) blended SNES audio with CD-quality sound—an important feature for multimedia use at the time.

The CD-ROM drive was a single-speed unit, similar to early PC CD drives, likely leading to slower data transfer rates and longer load times for larger games. A 32 KB buffer RAM helped manage data caching, a design similar to the Sega CD. Unlike Sega’s system, however, the Nintendo PlayStation lacked a dedicated video co-processor, meaning all graphical processing relied on the SNES hardware, which could have limited its ability to handle more advanced visuals.

Despite its limitations, Heck’s analysis showed that the system retained the SNES’s strong audio capabilities and would have benefited from the CD format’s larger storage capacity. While the hardware wasn’t groundbreaking compared to its competitors, the potential for expanded game content and multimedia features would have made it a significant step forward for Nintendo had the project been completed.

The auction and legacy of the Nintendo PlayStation prototype

A rare piece of gaming history changes hands

After showcasing the prototype at various gaming conventions, the Diebolds auctioned the Nintendo PlayStation through Heritage Auctions in February 2020. The sale drew bids from major collectors, including Palmer Luckey, co-founder of Oculus VR, and Greg McLemore, founder of Pets.com and a passionate video game historian.

A competitive bidding war followed, reflecting the console’s historical significance and extreme rarity. The prototype ultimately sold for $360,000, with McLemore winning the auction. His intention was to preserve the system for a future video game history museum, ensuring it would remain accessible for research and public display.

Out of an estimated 200 prototypes originally produced, this remains the only confirmed surviving unit. Its uniqueness makes it one of the rarest gaming consoles in history. It’s entirely possible that no other systems will ever surface, leaving this single prototype as the last physical reminder of a partnership that could have altered the gaming landscape.

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A missed opportunity that reshaped an industry

Source: Mats Lindh

The story of the Nintendo PlayStation isn’t about corporate missteps—it’s about deliberate decisions with long-term consequences. Nintendo ended its partnership with Sony to maintain full control over licensing, hardware, and software development. While this decision pushed Sony to develop the PlayStation—which would become one of Nintendo’s biggest competitors—it also allowed Nintendo to maintain its carefully curated approach to hardware and game publishing.

Nintendo’s choice to continue using cartridges was strategic. The company avoided CD-ROM technology with the Nintendo 64 due to concerns over slower load times, durability, and piracy. This strategy continues today with the Nintendo Switch and its upcoming successor, the Nintendo Switch 2, reflecting a consistent approach to control and performance over format changes.

At the same time, Nintendo’s ongoing efforts to shut down emulators—such as Ryujinx for the Switch—raise concerns about preserving gaming history. With only one confirmed Nintendo PlayStation prototype in existence, emulation remains the only way for most people to experience what this console could have offered. If Nintendo succeeds in eliminating emulation efforts, it risks erasing a part of gaming history that was nearly lost once before.