• 2 min read
Hallmark’s $28.99 PlayStation ornament nails the nostalgia
Hallmark’s new Keepsake ornament recreates the original PlayStation with surprising detail, a light-up LED, and the full boot chime.
Image: The Verge
Hallmark’s latest Keepsake ornament turns the original PlayStation into a holiday collectible, and for anyone who remembers that startup sequence, the hook is obvious: press the power button and it plays the full PlayStation boot chime — both parts — while a green LED lights up.
The ornament is based on the pre-DualShock version of Sony’s first console, with a strong focus on physical details. The ridged sides are here, along with the power plug and the familiar A/V port Sony continued using through the PlayStation 3. The controller is glued to the disc lid, and its flexible cable is partly attached along the side.
The Verge notes that its unit had a few minor imperfections out of the box, including slightly crooked font on the power button, but says those flaws are hard to spot from a couple of feet away.
At $28.99, the price will likely read either as expensive or completely fair, depending on how much affection you still have for that era of gaming. The Verge describes it as understated rather than flashy, in line with Hallmark’s broader series of console replicas, which previously included an Xbox 360 ornament last year.
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For longtime PlayStation fans, that’s really the pitch: a small, displayable tribute to one of gaming’s most influential consoles, complete with the startup sound that defined it.
Culture Editor
Maya explores gaming, streaming, and the internet as a place where people actually live. From deep-dives into creator economies to the anthropology of digital communities, she tracks platform drama and cultural shifts so you don't have to. She believes the best tech stories are fundamentally about human behavior.
via The Verge
