New PS6 report claims AMD will design console’s chip
AMD has reportedly won the battle for Intel’s PS6 chip, meaning the manufacturer will continue to supply Sony with internals for the next-generation console.
That is according to Reuterswho claim in a new PS6 report that AMD has been contracted by Sony to design and manufacture the chip for the next-generation PlayStation console. Sources claim the deal closed in 2022, with AMD winning out in the bidding process against rival chipmaker Intel.
It seems that the decision-making process ultimately came down to both AMD and Intel. However, it’s possible that backwards compatibility for PS6 was the deciding factor.
“The move from AMD, which made the PlayStation 5 chip, to Intel would have introduced a risk of backwards compatibility, which was a topic of discussion between engineers and executives at Intel and Sony,” the report said.
It continues: “Ensuring backwards compatibility with previous versions of the PlayStation would have been expensive and resource-intensive. Allowing PlayStation users to play games they purchased for older systems is a feature Sony often includes in a next-generation system.”
We don’t yet know how much backwards compatibility Sony has planned for the PS6, and that’s likely still a few years away. But the report suggests that Sony is keen to port support for top PS5 games and – hopefully – older generations, including the PS4.
Backwards compatibility aside, sticking with AMD seems like the safe bet here. The California-based manufacturer provided the chips for both the PS5 and Xbox Series consoles, so it’s safe to say the company is more comfortable with console hardware.