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The Sony MSF-1 is the oldest known prototype for the Nintendo PlayStation console
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An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter- The Sony MSF-1 has been acquired by The National Videogame Museum
- The prototype is the oldest in the world and was designed in a Nintendo/PlayStation partnership
- The unreleased hardware was originally developed as a CD-ROM add-on for the SNES
The National Videogame Museum has acquired the oldest Nintendo PlayStation hardware prototype that exists.
The museum, which is based in Frisco, Texas, announced the news in a social media post today, writing, "BREAKING: The NVM has acquired the mythical Nintendo Playstation!"
It also claimed that the Sony MSF-1 "is the OLDEST known existing Nintendo Playstation hardware artifact" in the world and "is the original development system for Sony’s planned Super Nintendo CD attachment. It is the ONLY known unit to exist! One of the biggest 'What Ifs' of all time now lives here at the NVM!"
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The post was accompanied by several photos of the prototype showing the "Not For Sale" and "MSF-1" stickers on the front and side panels.
The MSF-1 is a very early prototype that didn't make it to the stage of final product design.
BREAKING: The NVM has acquired the mythical Nintendo Playstation! 🤯This Sony MSF-1 is the OLDEST known existing Nintendo Playstation hardware artifact, and is the original development system for Sony’s planned Super Nintendo CD attachment. It is the ONLY known unit to exist!… pic.twitter.com/9JQyCsFtxcMarch 4, 2026
For some context, Sony and Nintendo were initially in a partnership in the early 1990s to develop a CD-ROM add-on for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) called the SNES-CD, aka the "Nintendo PlayStation", which was announced in 1992.
However, the collaboration ultimately didn't see the light of day, and the project later resulted in the creation of the original PlayStation.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inboxContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Ken Kutaragi, the co-creator of PlayStation, also owns a similar version of the Super Nintendo CD, but unlike those prototypes, the MSF-1 is intended to slot into a standard SNES cartridge port (via Time Extension).
A prototype of the "Nintendo Play Station" was auctioned off in 2019, and other models exist, but The National Videogame Museum is now the owner of the earliest prototype you can get your hands on and will likely be displayed for fans to see.
The best handheld games consoles for all budgetsOur top handheld picks for gaming on the go➡️ Read our full guide to the best handheld games consoles1. Best overall:Nintendo Switch 22. Best for PC gamers:Steam Deck OLED3. Best budgetNintendo Switch Lite4. Best for remote play:PlayStation Portal
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TOPICS Sony
Demi WilliamsDemi is a freelance games journalist for TechRadar Gaming. She's been a games writer for five years and has written for outlets such as GameSpot, NME, and GamesRadar, covering news, features, and reviews. Outside of writing, she plays a lot of RPGs and talks far too much about Star Wars on X.
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