We have already got our first data on Sony’s inevitable PlayStation 6: It can 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 deciding on 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. Based on Reuters, shifting to Intel-made chips may have put backward compatibility in danger, or at the very least made it costlier for Sony’s engineers to help 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 unique 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 help PS3 video games out of the field, however finally provided entry to them by means of emulation.
Reuters’ report on the PS6 would recommend that Sony intends to help 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 choice to go along with AMD over Intel reportedly dates again to 2022. However the PlayStation maker doubtless began engaged on its PS5 successor nicely earlier than that. Based on Shawn Layden, former chairman of SIE Worldwide Studios, Sony sometimes “start[s] engaged on the next-generation platform virtually a day after you ship regardless of the present era is.” In an interview with the What’s Up PlayStation podcast, Layden mentioned, “the minute you ship a product you have already got a staff approach, approach within the again […] who’s already engaged on the subsequent model.”
