I missed out on the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection, so I bought an original PS1 instead
All I need now is a 14-inch Sony PVM TV and a mint copy of Metal Gear Solid.
In September, to celebrate the launch of the first PlayStation in 1994, Sony announced the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection.
The collection included a very limited edition (12,300 units) PS5 Pro Console in PS1 retro gray—with diagonal cooling fins, edition number, and the original multicolored PlayStation logo—as well as similarly-themed PS5 Digital Edition, PlayStation Portal, and two-anniversary editions of the DualSense Wireless Controller. I, like many others, failed to snag any of the items; they all sold out in seconds. The only way to now buy anything from the presale collection (all items ship in November) is on eBay, and for a considerable premium: The Limited Edition Bundle is in the $4,500-$5,000 range if anyone wants one.
I do not. I quite fancy one of the controllers, and I may buy one at a later date if they’re ever back in stock (unlikely), or I give in and stump up the extra cash to get one on eBay. In the meantime, I’ll be able to admire Ross’ once his arrives; I suspect he's one of the few people who bought one who’s actually going to keep it.
Though I failed to buy anything from the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection, I did manage to buy something arguably better: a mint-condition PlayStation 1.
I’ve never owned a PS1 before. I always wanted one but was traveling a lot for work in the mid-1990s, so I didn’t see the point. Instead, I would borrow a friend’s PS1 occasionally to play WipEout, which I thought was a mind-blowing game at the time. The game reminded me of F-Zero—which I had first played on an SNES standing outside a games store in Ginza, Tokyo, in 1991—except WipEout also had a banger of a soundtrack that featured the Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, and Orbital, and spectacular graphic design by The Designer’s Republic that became hugely influential within the design community in London where I was living at the time.
But good things come to those who wait. After a little bit of searching on eBay, I managed to find a mint PS1, complete with a controller and cables, all for the exorbitant sum of $71. I assume that it is in full working order—it certainly powers on—but alas, I now have to find a working 14-inch Sony PVM TV to test it. Yes, I could just use some HDMI converter and use a modern set. Yet somehow, that feels like selling the whole experience short. The CRT TVs are out there, but they vary wildly in price and working order; it’ll take a while to find the right one. I should take a trip back to TriBeCa and visit Chi-Tien Lui at CTL Electronics. From what I remember, the man has a LOT of CRT screens.
Once I have my Sony PVM TV, all that will remain is to hunt down copies of the only two games I really want to play: WipEout and, more importantly, Metal Gear Solid. Only after playing MGS1 on a PS1 will I be able to truly appreciate the origins of Death Stranding.
Until then, I have my gorgeous, pristine PS1 on my shelf to admire. What better way to celebrate 30 years of the PlayStation?
The 30th Anniversary Sony PS5 (non-pro) is now at retailers (but most are already sold out) https://www.polygon.com/pre-order/456457/playstation-30th-anniversary-pro-bundle-controller-where-to-buy