The PlayStation 5 may have gotten a design refresh in the form of a detachable disc drive… but this handheld concept gets a feature we never thought we’d see… handheld disc gaming! The MOI3D is a concept controller from the brains of Vadim Danilkov, who wanted to build a modern variant of the PS One. Debuted in 2000, the redesigned PS One was the highest-selling console that year (even outperforming the more capable PS2 which launched in the same year)… its highlight, a detachable LCD screen that made it a complete gaming solution that you could play with sans a TV. MOI3D builds on that retro vision, with a handheld variant that lets you play all your disc-based PS games going all the way back to the first PlayStation made. Pop the disc in the back and the console fires up, allowing you to relive almost 3 decades of gaming a la PlayStation!
Designer: Vadim Danilkov
The MOI3D was created as a part of Vadim’s broader CAD modeling and plastics rendering course back in the day, and only recently revived as a concept tech device given Sony’s odd PlayStation Portal debut that really confused the entire gaming world. While the Portal looked like a spiritual successor to the PSP, it turned out to be a glorified controller that only worked when wirelessly tethered to an existing PS5. The MOI3D has no such problem, given that it physically runs games on the device thanks to that built-in CD player.
The MOI3D’s aesthetic gets defined by the presence of this CD reader. While most handheld consoles like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck have a rather sensible rectangular shape, the MOI3D looks sort of like if a rectangle ate a circle. The weird form may be a deterrent for some, but I think it’s a classic example of form following function… and what the MOI3D loses in sleek appeal, it makes up for with its gaming chops and incredible backward compatibility.
The level of detailing in this concept is maddening to the point where I feel like it should just be a real product by now. Vadim’s pretty much built out every PCB, button, and plastic component in this device and that in itself is a design feat that’s difficult to achieve.
Keeping in line with current handheld consoles, the MOI3D has all the bells and whistles, including all the action buttons (even the L1/L2 and R1/R2 buttons on the shoulders), an HDMI out, and a USB-C port for charging. A centrally located button on the top surface helps open the CD tray, and at least from the looks of it, the one thing missing is a 3.5mm audio jack. To be fair, the MOI3D does have its own front-firing speaker units. That should definitely hold up wonderfully for some of the older games you’ll find yourself playing on the MOI3D, given its ability to support games from the original PS dating back to 1994! Online gaming could never compare itself to this…
