PlayStation Link Cable

Description

The PlayStation Link Cable is an 8‑pin inline serial cable that connects the serial I/O ports on two original PlayStation consoles to enable linked multiplayer on separate screens. By linking two machines, each console renders a single player’s view so games avoid split‑screen and can run smoother or show larger images. It was released commercially in 1995 (its launch slipped because titles that were to use it were delayed) and was sold at a modest retail price in regional markets, but it is not compatible with later redesigned PSone units.

In practice the cable required two televisions, two PlayStations and, in most cases, two copies of the same game. For whatever reason, this requirement was seen to be prohibitively expensive. Although from my perspective it seemed intended for you to take a small TV and PlayStation over to a friend’s house, not one person buy two of everything. To some extent it reflects different cultural experiences of gaming in the era.

Like the similar Sega Saturn cable, the accessory had relatively limited third party support. However, over 50 PlayStation titles integrated Link Cable support, predominantly racing, in addition to shooters, strategy, and simulation games. These benefitted the most from separate full‑screen experiences.