A forum member posted links of patent filings coming from Sony Corporation, showing concepts identical to the "Nintendo PlayStation" gaming console.
The gaming console made rounds on the net lately after a certain Reddit user analogueboy posted pictures about it. He later confirmed it through a separate post in ASSEMbler, via Nintendo Life, claiming that he got it from his father.
Though the console's legitimacy was questioned, another ASSEMbler forum member NintenFan posted links to two patents, which he finds as confirmations of the hybrid device's existence.
The first was a United States Patent filed last Oct. 21, 1991 and the other a European Patent Application filed on Feb. 26, 1992. Both patents revealed concepts that are identical to the unconfirmed "Nintendo PlayStation" as well as verifying the same applicant to be Sony Corporation.
The United States Patent (patent number Des. 349,519) is about the ornamental design for a gaming console combined with an optical disc player. The patent design was identical to the "Nintendo PlayStation".
The European patent (application number 92103282.7) claims of a game computer using a 16-bit CPU and that can accept both ROM game cartridges through a cartridge port as well as an optical disk via a disk drive.
In a recent interview, President of Sony's Worldwide Studios for Sony Computer Entertainment Shuhei Yoshida expressed uncertainty about the existence of the "Nintendo PlayStation" prototype.
When he was asked about his side of the story in connection to the supposed console, Yoshida recalled the time he joined the team of Ken Kutaragi, former Chairman and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, way back in 1993.
He admitted that there were gaming systems called "Play Station" that both support Super Nintendo cartridge and disc game. He also shared that he was able to play some games on the "Play Station".
"But, I'm not confirming or denying if this is the one [referring to the prototype]. Somehow, I think it's more fun to keep it kind of mystery," he told Engadget.
Prior to Sony's venture into home consoles, the company collaborated with Nintendo on a CD-ROM drive for the SNES. The purpose was to create a hybrid gaming device which would play both SNES cartridges and CD-ROM games.
However, the deal went bad when Nintendo instead announced a partnership with Philips for the hybrid cartridge and CD-ROM console, which was at the same time Sony officially launched the combined gaming console.