Sony’s PlayStation 6 will reportedly include AMD chips for backwards compatibility

Image credit: Sony

Backwards compatibility is a key reason AMD will be the chip manufacturer for Sony’s PlayStation 6 console.

As reported by Reuters, AMD and Intel were the final two contenders in a bidding war to manufacture the computer chip for Sony’s next console.

However, AMD ultimately won the bid – with the need to provide backwards compatibility for previous consoles reportedly a major factor.

Both Sony’s PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles feature custom AMD CPU and GPU chips, so it makes sense to maintain consistency to ensure compatibility with games from previous generations. This, and the rise of digital ownership, has helped the transition between these consoles.

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Speaking to Reuters, sources said a swap to Intel would have risked backwards compatibility, by making it more costly to develop and requiring additional engineering resources.

Indeed, the unique IBM-developed “cell” processor of the PS3 caused problems with ports – it’s why on PS Plus games from that console are only available via the cloud.

On the one hand, then, AMD’s win suggests backwards compatibility will be part of Sony’s next console, which is good news for players.

On the other hand, this is a major loss for Intel, which last month cut 15,000 jobs as part of “significant actions to reduce costs” and save the company $10m next year.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said the layoffs were “painful” as the company makes “some of the most consequential changes in our company’s history”.

An Intel spokesperson told Reuters in response to its failure to win Sony’s PS6 business: “We strongly disagree with this characterisation but are not going to comment about any current or potential customer conversations. We have a very healthy customer pipeline across both our product and foundry business, and we are squarely focused on innovating to meet their needs.”

While the PlayStation 6 is still a long way off, last week Sony revealed its long-expected PS5 Pro console. It’s digital-only and features an upgraded GPU among other features to provide higher fidelity graphics with a higher frame rate, all for the price of £700.