Nike Remembers The Playstation x Air Force 1 As Rumors Of New Release Continue

The “Playstation” Air Force 1 has always held an esteemed spot in the cathedral of limited-edition AF1 releases. It’s one of the rare shoes that’s truly been able to transcend subcultures, becoming iconic both in the word of sneakers and of video games. Featuring black patent leather detailing, purple laces (extremely rare pre-production samples were constructed of a smooth leather and offered red laces), a blue gradient fade on the heel nodding to the Playstation’s start up menu and a classic Playstation logo patch on the lateral side of the heel, the shoes were—and 12 years later still are—a loving homage to one of the world’s most prominent gaming systems.

Upon their initial release in 2006—the same year Sony released the Playstation 3—the shoes were immediately hotly coveted, as they were only available in a numbered run of 150, given out to Sony employees, sweepstakes winners, and one Kobe Bryant, the cover athlete for the forgettable PS3 exclusive NBA 07: The Life Vol 2 (who you’ll see looking extremely impressed below). The shoe’s cult classic status only continued to grow as they “re-released” in an even more limited run of 50 in 2009, this time boasting a full patent leather upper. The second iteration was handled much like the first one, as a friends-and-family pair for Sony executives with a select few pairs being auctioned off for charity.

In 2018, the love for any and all “Playstation” kicks is still going just as strong as it ever was. With the release of Paul George‘s Playstation PG2s in February, rumblings of a third version of the Playstation Air Force 1 began to swell up. There’s still no confirmed release date for a 2018 iteration of the cult-classic Air Force 1, but as a style code reported to be for a new pair has surfaced and Nike recently paid homage to the shoe’s legacy with a piece on SNKRS, we may see a return to market some time this summer or fall. There’s no telling if it’ll be a widely available pair or if it’ll be limited to Sony friends and family like the last two-but be sure to keep it locked here for any and all info and updates on the iconic Air Force 1 Low. For more upcoming release info, be sure to check out our Sneaker Release Dates page as well.