PlayStation Pulga was the codename for a secret Sony project that would have turned a standard PlayStation DualShock controller into a PS1 emulator, though the product was never released. Like most companies, Sony has had its fair share of prototypes that were shelved before release. That said, few people knew the company once developed a PlayStation controller that could run games on its own.
On July 2, 2026, the Retro Collective YouTube channel published a talk by Brian Watson, a game developer with more than 40 years of industry experience. Throughout his career, Brian worked with some of the biggest gaming companies like Sony, contributing to projects such as the PS2 emulator on PS3 and PS VR, as well as several games, including Sony's iconic MMOFPS MAG. However, one of the most interesting projects he worked on was PlayStation Pulga, a strange handheld emulator.
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Toward the end of his talk at the Retro Collective museum, Watson pulled out a DualShock controller and said, "It's a PlayStation controller, but it's a PlayStation controller with a PS1 inside...
