We have already got our first data on Sony’s inevitable PlayStation 6: It’ll run on AMD chips, based on a report from Reuters, with chipmaker Intel having misplaced the bid to fabricate chips for the next-gen PlayStation. One issue that reportedly led to Sony selecting AMD was guaranteeing backward compatibility with the current-gen PlayStation 5.
Sony’s PS5 options an AMD CPU — a customized AMD Zen 2 — and GPU — a customized AMD RDNA 2 for the bottom PS5, and RDNA 3 for the upcoming PlayStation 5 Professional. In keeping with Reuters, shifting to Intel-made chips might have put backward compatibility in danger, or not less than made it dearer for Sony’s engineers to assist backward compatibility. The PlayStation 4 additionally ran on AMD-made processors.
The PlayStation maker has a historical past of supporting backward compatibility between consoles. The PlayStation 2 performed authentic PlayStation video games out of the field. Early variations of the PlayStation 3 likewise supported its two predecessors. Sony broke its backward compatibility streak with the PS4, which didn’t assist PS3 video games out of the field, however in the end provided entry to them by means of emulation.
Reuters’ report on the PS6 would recommend that Sony intends to assist PS5 video games on its next-gen console, which has not been introduced and has no clear launch window. Sony simply introduced the PS5 Professional final week, for a November launch. A PS6 console is nearly assuredly nonetheless years away, given the seven-year hole between the releases of the PS4 and PS5.
Sony’s resolution to go together with AMD over Intel reportedly dates back to 2022. However the PlayStation maker seemingly began engaged on its PS5 successor nicely earlier than that. In keeping with Shawn Layden, former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, Sony usually (*6*) In an interview with the What’s Up PlayStation podcast, Layden stated, “the minute you ship a product you already have a team way, way in the back […] who’s already working on the next version.”
