Fans of the original PlayStation will always remember the classic red, blue, and yellow logo that popped up while starting up a game, but they might have missed out on a crazy twist: the seemingly flat image was actually a 3D model all along. Indeed, the retro PS1 logo is a polygon model - one that can be moved around into all kinds of weird positions.
This vintage logo heralded many classics on the old PS1, which helped the console take on the Nintendo 64 and ensure that the PlayStation brand would continue well into the modern age. Later PlayStation consoles would feature shorter and shorter start-up sequences, especially given how modern technology reduced the long load times that made these screens necessary in the first place, but the iconic imagery of the vertical P-shape on top of a horizontal S has remained all the way into the PS5 era.
A few days ago, Witchfighter Nova webcomic author Em shared the discovery of the old PlayStation logo being a 3D model this whole time on Twitter, revealing that it can be recreated in Unreal Engine and rotated to reveal some truly bizarre shapes lurking behind the classic design fans had memorized back in the late 90s. Indie programmer Lilymeister backed this up by sharing a video of the original PS1 logo screen, hacked so she can move it around and show off all the jagged polygon edges. Both of these can be seen in the tweets below:
The original PS1 has gained a bit of a nostalgia wave over the past couple of years, thanks to the release of the PlayStation Classic mini console back in 2018. More recently, a fan designer re-colored the modern PS5 DualSense controller in the style of the old PS1 DualShock, with the two blending surprisingly well. It certainly looked better than a third-party console skin for the Xbox Series X by third-party peripheral company Adventure Games, which was an awkward and ill-fitting crossover.
Very few gamers have likely wondered if the old PlayStation 1 logo they saw at the start of every game was made with 3D polygons, as its bright colors, flat shading, and primitive edges easily passed for a static 2D illustration. This just makes the reveal that it was a 3D model this whole time all the more mind-bending, though said model looks more than a little unnerving while viewed from a different angle. It’s enough to make one wonder what other secrets could be uncovered about the original PlayStation, a console whose influence is still felt even in the modern era of gaming.
Source: Em/Twitter, Lilymeister/Twitter