The PlayStation 1 in classic gray is known worldwide. Sony offered a black version for 700 euros for a while.
The first PlayStation in the familiar gray color was first released in Japan in late 1994 and the following year for the rest of the world. A differently colored variant came only with a refresh of the original console in white in 2000. More real color variety was only provided by the later successors.
However, few know about the black PlayStation 1, which was released about two years after the launch of Sony’s first video game console. This special console was an amateur developer kit due to the included accessories. Hobby programmers could develop their own games with it. Today, it is a coveted and expensive collector’s item. But collectible figures from the PlayStation universe could soon become very valuable.
For 700 euros anyone could become a game developer
What was special about this PS1 console? The so-called Net Yaroze was a black PlayStation 1. The name translates to “Let’s do it together”. Sony launched the console in mid-1996 first in Japan and a year later in other countries. The console could only be purchased directly from Sony by mail order.
As a promotional campaign, it aimed primarily to attract hobby programmers. The developer kit consisted of the Net Yaroze console, a CD with necessary tools, and additional accessories. Thanks to the included developer tools, one had the opportunity to develop their own games for Sony’s first PlayStation in the C programming language.
What differences were there compared to the normal PS1? From a hardware standpoint, both consoles were identical. CPU, memory, and graphics were the same. Nevertheless, there were some advantages and also limitations compared to the original PS1.
The Net Yaroze was capable of displaying games in all available video formats. However, self-created CD copies could not be played. In this way, Sony wanted to prevent piracy and not create competition for its better-equipped professional developer kit. However, there was a time when Steve Jobs wanted to release a competitor to the PlayStation, which annoyed Sony.
How could one program their own games? It was not possible with the console alone. You also needed a computer with an internet connection. Knowledge of the C programming language was required to write the actual game code.
The written code then had to be compiled (converted) into an executable application. Via a special connection cable, the program was finally sent to the console. Since the developer tools came with some limitations compared to the full-fledged professional developer kit, many games created with it rarely had 3D graphics.
Were such games also available for official purchase? No, not that, but Sony utilized various ways to make these produced games public. Through an online forum, users could share their self-created games, give each other tips, and also directly contact Sony’s technical support.
Additionally, for a while, there were demo CDs that accompanied official PlayStation magazines. These consistently included a small selection of games that had been developed with the Net Yaroze kit.
Was the black PlayStation 1 a success? One cannot speak of a great success. The many technical hurdles and the comparatively high price prevented widespread adoption of the system. A normal PlayStation cost at that time around 300 euros, less than half of a Net Yaroze.
Thus, there was also no direct successor as a developer kit on the later PlayStation 2. A kit provided by Sony based on a Linux operating system at least offered similar functions.
