Swedish electronics retailer Webhallen wanted to contribute to the Stockholm Pride festival, but in a way that stayed true to its business. Its solution? Dubbed the "GayStation 4," Webhallen commissioned a custom painted PlayStation 4 that would show off the company's LGBT support, to be sold at auction with all proceeds going to RFSL Newcomers, a charity supporting LGBT refugees and migrants who have escaped persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.
The GayStation 4, marketed with the slogan "This one is for the gaymers," came bundled with four games and recently sold at auction for 28,300 Swedish kroner, which comes out to around $4,118. For comparison, a standard PS4 sells for $399 in the U.S. and €399 in Europe. The auction for the rainbow striped console adorned with a pixelated heart started at the end of June.
"On Webhallen, we are gamers in heart and mind, keen that as many as possible have the opportunity to feel welcome and enjoy the world's largest and fastest growing interest: TV & computer games," the company says on the GayStation's auction page.
Sony has yet to release an official PlayStation 4 in any color other than black, but that will be changing in September. An exclusive Destiny PS4 bundle featuring a white PS4 console will be the first, with a standalone version of the console looking likely.
A white Xbox One bundled with the Xbox exclusive game Sunset Overdrive, set to release in October, is also rumored.
Whether or not the success of the GayStation will cause Sony to release more vibrant colors for its console in the future is unclear, but historically even if consoles themselves haven't come in every color of the rainbow, console controllers have. Regardless, the success of the GayStation 4 auction is a bright moment for a part of gaming culture that is slowly but surely becoming more vocal and more prominent.
Last month longtime game publisher Atari announced it would be making an LGBT themed social game specifically for the "gaymer" audience in the form of Pridefest, a game about managing a LGBT pride parade and festival. Atari announced the game after attending and sponsoring the second GaymerX convention, an LGBT gaming convention that celebrates equality and diversity in gaming. GaymerX founder Matt Con said Atari's support was a step forward in bringing equality to gaming.
