playstation Officially, it has been around for 30 years and has provided fans with a variety of video game franchises, consoles, and peripherals over the past 30 years. But instead of commemorating this special anniversary in the expected way, PlayStation is giving away a surprising limited-edition item for lifelong PlayStation fans: a commemorative wristwatch.
Typically, PlayStation and other companies celebrate their anniversaries with items that gamers can appropriate. For example, PlayStation's 30th Anniversary Loot brought the following items for gamers to collect:
-
Limited edition PS5 console themed after the PS1
-
PS5 Pro console similar to PS1 theme.
-
-
Matching DualSense PS1 controller.
-
This is the DualSense Edge variant with the same design.
-
-
A PS1-themed PlayStation portal.
-
This is a 30th anniversary photo book.
-
These are PS1-themed sneakers.
With the console and controller being so popular and selling out quickly, players may have been hoping for more matching items or a proper restock of the collection to round out the 30th anniversary, like the PS1-themed Pulse headset. Instead they will have to settle for a special watch. Only 300 of these watches will be released, and each watch is numbered on a special memory card, a clever detail that immediately sets the tone for how detailed this collector's item is.
PlayStation's 30th Anniversary clock is amazing, but it's going to cost gamers a pretty penny.
The watch in question is a collaboration product with famous watch manufacturer Anicorn, and is truly beautiful. However, this brand name will command high prices from players. Because anyone who wants their own watch will have to shell out $780, which is more than you'd pay for a PSVR 2, the latest PS5, or the aforementioned 25th Anniversary bundle from a few years ago. The design includes the number 30 on the back of the watch to symbolize the production anniversary, four colored action buttons are placed in place of the watch numbers, and the PlayStation logo is engraved in the center. The wristband is covered in small sacred symbols, and the hands are actually the start and select buttons that fans of older DualShock controllers will remember fondly. The colors of the clock match those of the PS1 console, bringing the design home in another clever touch.
According to Esquire, this watch is a first of its kind, as Sony had never offered the PlayStation branding on an existing watch before this point and was limited to the company's own merchandise and technology.
Oddly enough, this watch won't actually be worn until its 30th anniversary. Even though pre-orders begin next week, the watch won't ship until June 2026. There are a few potential reasons as to why Sony didn't go all in on this particular milestone. The first is that the company may have viewed the new 30th Anniversary bundle as being too close to the 25th Anniversary loot and thus asking too much of players. Or the fact that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the PlayStation 1 in Europe and North America. Released in Japan in 1994, it has been 31 years since PlayStation was created.
Still, while this unexpected collaboration isn't for everyone, watch collectors will no doubt be delighted with this rare PlayStation item. It certainly looks good, but fans will have to decide for themselves if they're willing to spend more on this shiny new accessory than they would on the console.
