PlayStation is Dropping a Three-Shoe, Three-Country Collab with Reebok
Quick Facts
- To celebrate the PlayStation’s 30th birthday, Sony got together with Reebok to launch a three-pack of sneakers in the three countries where the console was first sold.
- PlayStation has worked on sneaker collabs in the past, most famously with Nike on a grail Air Force 1.
- The PlayStation x Reebok 30th Anniversary Collection will be released mid-October, exclusively in the country each shoe represents.
Want to feel old? The original Sony PlayStation console is 30 years old. The system that brought the world Crash Bandicoot and Tomb Raider has evolved into a behemoth of a machine in its current fifth gen, but the OG is still a work of art. To celebrate the PlayStation’s 30th birthday, Sony got together with Reebok to launch a three-pack of sneakers in the three countries where the console was first sold.
Starting in Japan, the PlayStation x Reebok collection kicks off with the Steven Smith-designed Instapump Fury 94, chosen for its 1994 release date, the same year that ended with the very first Japan-only release of the PlayStation. Every shoe in the pack is designed in tonal grey to match the original PlayStation, with additional gaming easter eggs throughout. The Instapump Fury features a “Press Play” feature on the pump, a memory card tongue label, and a hidden date, 19/3/1994, representing the first day PlayStation dropped in Japan.
The Pump Omni Zone II is a 1995 model made to represent the year PlayStation dropped in the US, with the exact date, 9/9/1995, written inside the shoe. The grey colorway features yellowing on the midsole and a PlayStation logo on the pump ball. Representing the first UK PlayStation drop, a Workout Plus with 9/29/1995 inscribed inside also comes in a PlayStation grey finish, PlayStation written on the side, and a removable lace lock cable attachment like the game system’s controller cables.
“This collection is a time machine,” said Mubi Ali, Global Senior Product Marketing Manager at Reebok. “It’s for the after-school music TV kids: grunge in their headphones, wheels at their feet, and a dial-up world that felt wide open. We’ve brought those memories to life in every stitch, lace, and pump.”
PlayStation has worked on sneaker collabs in the past, most famously with Nike on a grail Air Force 1 and the Paul George signature series. These Reeboks might not match the hype of those Nikes, but the story and multi-national release are a well-executed concept.
The PlayStation x Reebok 30th Anniversary Collection will be released mid-October, exclusively in the country each shoe represents, through select local retailers. Available in men’s sizing, the retail prices are set at ¥37,000 for the Instapump Fury 94, $220 for the Pump Omni Zone II, and £150 for the Workout Plus.
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
