The PS One was Sony’s first revised PlayStation console–a slimmer and rounder machine that was impressively smaller than the original model. What it didn’t have was a crustacean influence, but at long last, an enterprising illustrator and modder have rectified that issue. Using video game concept artist Anh Dong‘s illustration of a “PlayStacean” as a base, modder GingerofOz detailed how he turned that drawing into a working crab-themed PS One console with incredibly uncomfortable controllers.
The project kicked off with a PS One purchased through eBay, a whole lot of 3D modeling work, and 3D-printing a shell that matched Dong’s art. From that starting point, GingerOfOz got to work on cleaning the original PS One’s internal hardware while dealing with several design challenges to match the artwork as closely as possible. That included figuring out the claw-troller, which does work, is locked to the PlayStacean, and isn’t what you’d call ergonomic.
“I’ve got mixed feelings about this guy. He’s just so big and clunky compared to a normal PS One. Some of the little mechanisms don’t work very smoothly and this crab controller feels so bad to use,” GingerOfOz explained once he’d finished building the PlayStacean.
In comparison, Sony has slowed down on themed consoles since it launched the PS5 in 2020. While they are easily customizable thanks to the various faceplates on sale, we’ve seldom seen intricate designs over the last couple of years. One of the rare examples here would be the PS5 30th Anniversary consoles that were released last year, as these featured a nostalgic selection of colors and nods to the past. They’re also out of stock at major retailers, so if you’re looking to get one, you’ll have to pay some exorbitant rates on sites like eBay, where they’re being resold.
