The Nintendo PlayStation

Summary

The PlayStation is actually the product of a broken collaboration between Sony and Nintendo. The sound chip of the SNES is already being designed by Sony, and now Nintendo transmits to the partner the development of a CD-ROM extension for the SNES and an SNES with built-in CD-ROM under the name Super Disc.

The collaboration failed shortly before completion because of disputes over game licences. Nintendo feared losing too much control over the system and publicly embarrassed Sony at CES 1991 by announcing the end of their collaboration and an alliance with Philips instead. The planned SNES CD-ROM never appeared, but Philips received a licence to release several CD-i games featuring Nintendo characters, most of which received disastrous reviews. Sony continued developing the Super Disc concept into the PlayStation.

The probably last remaining prototype of the Super Disc will be found in the USA in 2015.