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PlayStation’s 30th Anniversary Book
PlayStation: The First 30 Years is available to pre-order ahead of its planned November shipping window.
The PlayStation 30th anniversary book documents Sony’s console and controller designs through photographs, prototypes, and insights from the people who made them. Read-Only Memory produced it in direct collaboration with PlayStation and sells it exclusively through its store.
A hardware history across 400 pages
The 400-page hardback follows PlayStation’s hardware development from early experiments through PS5. The focus is how the machines and controllers took shape, rather than a collection of game screenshots.
The design archive includes research-and-development prototypes, concept sketches, and models that never became finished products. Contributors include Ken Kutaragi, Teiyu Goto, and Yujin Morisawa, with photography by Benedict Redgrove.
Michael C Place handled art direction, with design by Nicole Motby at Studio.Build. Place previously worked on WipEout and its sequels at The Designers Republic, giving the project a connection to the original PlayStation era.
The PS3 Boomerang prototype is included
The publisher’s production update confirms a spread featuring the curved “Boomerang” PS3 controller prototype shown at E3 2005. The preview offers a clear look at a design that differed sharply from the familiar DualShock shape.
Other preview pages show hand-painted early PS2 models and early DualShock development ideas. The material makes it possible to compare experimental hardware with the products gamers eventually used.
Standard and Deluxe editions compared
Both editions contain the book. The Deluxe edition’s extras focus on its binding, presentation box, and signed photographic print.
| Edition | Publisher’s GBP price | Presentation details |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | £95 | Embossed and debossed case, foil lettering, four ribbon bookmarks |
| Deluxe | £245 | Exposed binding, foil-stamped clamshell box, neon-ink lining, signed photographic print |
The Deluxe run is limited to 1,994 copies. Its 365 × 285mm print is signed by Teiyu Goto and Benedict Redgrove. The book itself measures 375 × 295mm and weighs 5kg, so it’s a substantial shelf or coffee-table item.
U.S. coverage from Insider Gaming gives prices of $125 for Standard and $325 for Deluxe. The publisher displayed GBP during our check, so confirm your currency, shipping, and final total before paying.
November shipping follows an earlier delay
PlayStation first announced the book on September 29, 2025, with a spring 2026 release planned. The publisher’s April 14, 2026 update moved expected shipping to November, citing final production work and freight timelines.
The current Standard and Deluxe listings still say shipping November 2026. A shipping month doesn’t guarantee arrival on a particular day, and availability can change.
Choose Standard if the archive photographs and hardware history are your main interest. Deluxe adds presentation and a signed collectible, so check whether those extras justify the higher total for your collection.
