Nike’s new PlayStation sneakers pay homage to Sony’s classic console
But good luck getting a pair.
The first week of December couldn't get much better for PlayStation fans. On top of the launch of Sony's miniature PS Classic on December 3rd, Nike also has something in store for them in the next few days. On December 1st, the sportswear giant will launch the second edition of its PlayStation-themed signature basketball shoes, designed for NBA superstar Paul George. Like the original shoes from earlier this year, the new PG 2.5 x PlayStation are inspired by Sony's gaming console, but this pair takes all of its cues from the original PlayStation rather than the PS4.
The first thing you'll notice is that the latest sneaker is gray, the same color as Sony's first PlayStation console. That's complemented by details like a multicolor "PS" logo on the left shoe's tongue, which pays homage to the old-school PlayStation. As a bonus, it lights up when you press it. On the right side, there's a Paul George "PG" logo that can also light up, though for this one you have to you push a PS power button on the inside of the tongue. The other PG PlayStation sneaker worked similarly, but the red, blue, yellow and teal colors of the old PS logo here make the design pop a lot more than the previous dark-blue model.
Those retro PS logo accents are also used on the various Nike swooshes found throughout as well as the lace loops on both the left and right shoes. Meanwhile, the shiny patent leather on the midsole honors Sony's DualShock controller with small prints of the X, Square, Circle and Triangle buttons. The button details are on the PG 2.5's new Velcro strap, too, which is one of the main differences between it and the PlayStation PG2s. Another change is the lack of a PS Store voucher code on the heel of the shoe, as it's been replaced by the Oklahoma City Thunder player's name (Paul on left, George on right).
If you're going to be using the light-up features a lot, Nike told Engadget the shoes have a life span of about 150 hours, and there's no way to charge them if they ever die, since the batteries are self-contained. So basically, don't forget to turn off your PlayStation shoes after you're done showing them off to your friends -- unless you're prepared to do some tinkering of your own. I do wish the blue lights were brighter or that you could switch colors, but that's not a dealbreaker by any means.
What I love the most about this particular pair is that compared to the first PG x PlayStation collaboration, all the details are more visible because of the gray upper. What brings the sneaker together, what makes it pop even more, is the blue, translucent Nike Zoom outsole. That's the shoe tech designed to give your feet grip and comfort on the court, and it will come in handy for those of you who actually want to use these to play hoops and not just keep them as a collector's item.
Whether you're a gamer or a sneakerhead, you probably want these. But as you probably know by now, these are going to be hard to get, because it's a limited-edition collaboration. The PlayStation PG2s, for instance, sold out in minutes. Still, you can try to get yourself a pair on the Nike SNKRS app for iOS and Android this Saturday at 10 AM ET, where they'll be sold via the Draw (aka raffle) for $110. If you don't get them there, you can try select retailers including Foot Locker -- hopefully you'll get lucky.
