The Nintendo PlayStation sells for $360,000 at auction
The prototype's owners were probably hoping to get more for the device.
The only known "Nintendo Play Station" console in existence is changing hands. Bidding for the legendary prototype concluded earlier today when someone placed a $300,000 bid. With the buyer's premium, the person who won the auction will pay $360,000 to own a piece of gaming history.
As with any high-profile auction, the device was expected to attract big bids, and for a time it did. At one point in the bidding process, even Oculus founder Palmer Luckey took part. However, it's probably fair to say its outgoing owners were hoping for a better outcome -- even if the auction set the record for the most expensive piece of game memorabilia ever sold.
Engadget's Richard Lai chronicled the fascinating history of the console back in 2015. The prototype was originally owned by former Sony Computer Entertainment America president Olaf Olafsson. A man named Terry Diebold (pictured below) won the console in a bankruptcy auction for a mere $75. It stayed overlooked in his attic until his son, Dan Diebold, realized what they had on their hands with the help of a Reddit post. Since then, the two have toured with the prototype, taking it with them to retro gaming conventions. In December, the elder Diebold told Kotaku someone offered $1.2 million to buy the console.
It's believed the device represents Sony's first attempt at creating its own gaming hardware. It adds a built-in CD-ROM to the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). Had Sony and Nintendo continued their partnership, the console would have allowed the SNES to play CD games. After a falling out with Nintendo, Sony went on to release the original PlayStation and the rest, as they say, is history.
