Secret PlayStation Controller Console

A secret, fully functional PlayStation console built directly inside a controller was set to revolutionize how people played, but it was killed off by a battle over mere pennies. Veteran game developer Brian Watson recently revealed the PlayStation Puga, a prototype that crammed an entire PlayStation 1 console inside a single controller.

This ambitious device was designed specifically for the Brazilian market, to bypass tight import regulations by being manufactured locally, The hardware was highly efficient, featuring an ARM-based processor running at 650 MHz and 4 GB of memory to hold 10 games. Remarkably, this entire console in a controller could run for about 20 hours on just 4 AA batteries while plugged straight into a TV.

But the project hit a massive wall when Sony Licensing tried to secure games from external studios like Rockstar and even its own internal divisions. Because the device was designed to sell at a low price, game creators were offered a mere 10 cents in royalties per unit sold.

This incredibly low rate triggered an internal and external rebellion, as studios rejected the terms and Sony's own units refused to cooperate. Watson recalled that Sony Licensing simply could not get their act together regarding the royalty terms for each of the games.

Unable to ship any games with the hardware, Sony ultimately cancelled the entire PlayStation Puga project, The physical prototype still exists today, though it can now only boot into a debug stub without its original software. Still, the engineering was not entirely lost, as the custom emulator built for the Pruga eventually found a second life inside the Sony Xperia Play.