Sony unveiled its Nintendo partnership in 1991. Hours later, Nintendo chose Philips.
Sony engineer Ken Kutaragi had just lost his partner, in public.
Kutaragi's team had built the sound chip inside the Super Nintendo. Next, the two companies were adding a disc drive to it, and the combined machine was called PlayStation. Inside Sony, he recalls, bosses resisted spending money on "children's playthings". Then, at the June 1991 trade show, Nintendo announced Philips as its partner a few hours after Sony revealed its plans.
Kutaragi decided to build Sony's own console, with 3D graphics. He took the case to Sony's president, Norio Ohga, at the meeting that would decide the project. As Kutaragi recalls it, Ohga told him: "If you believe you can do it, then do it!"
PlayStation went on sale in Japan on 3 December 1994. Sony counts more than 102.4 million of the first consoles and more than 160 million PlayStation 2s. By 30 June 2026, Sony had sold more than 95 million PlayStation 5s.
If a partner walks away from your project, check whether the work died or only the contract did.
A short true story. AI-generated illustration with narration by an AI voice.
Have you seen a project outlive the partner who dropped it?
What the captions say
- This is how Sony built the PlayStation. In 1991 it unveiled plans for a console with Nintendo. Hours later, Nintendo named Philips its partner.
- The console was the project of Ken Kutaragi, a 40-year-old Sony engineer. His next move started the PlayStation the world knows, with over 100 million sold.
- Sony already made the sound chip for Nintendo's Super Nintendo console. The joint project added a CD drive, a hybrid called PlayStation.
- Inside Sony, he recalls, bosses resisted spending money on "children's playthings". Now Nintendo had walked out, in public.
- That night Kutaragi was on the phone to Tokyo about damage control. Andrew House, who later ran PlayStation, says Nintendo "left Sony at the altar".
- A young colleague remembers what Kutaragi decided, probably the next day: "Then we'll make it on our own. With 3D graphics."
- Most Sony executives, he said in 2024, were "fiercely opposed". They feared games would cheapen a premium brand.
- One meeting would decide it. Kutaragi made his case to Sony's president, Norio Ohga. As he recalls, Ohga said: "If you believe you can do it, then do it!"
- PlayStation went on sale in Japan on December 3, 1994. Fans queued through the night. Kutaragi said: "The sight brought tears to my eyes."
- Sony counts more than 102 million first PlayStations and more than 160 million PlayStation 2s.
- By the end of June 2026, Sony had sold more than 95 million PlayStation 5s.
- Kutaragi later suggested without the split from Nintendo, PlayStation "would never have seen the light of day".
