A new report alleges that Sony has finalized a deal with AMD to design and build the PlayStation 6 chipset. Not much is known about the next-generation console at the moment, but it appears Sony decided to go with AMD to ensure that one of the PS5's fan-favorite features isn't compromised on the PS6.

Sony partnered up with AMD back in the early 2010s to develop a PC-like x86 chipset for the PS4. This was a stark shift for Sony, as the PS3, PS2, and PS1 utilized bespoke architectures that offered lots of potential, but at the cost of added dev time and effort. The PS3's CELL architecture was the most notorious example of this, and continues to be the reason why PS3 backwards compatibility isn't available on the PS5. The PS4 introduced a unified developer environment that made life easier for game studios, and the same holds true for the PS5.

After the PS4 turned out immensely successful for both Sony and AMD, they extended their partnership to develop the PS5's chipset. Thanks to the current-gen console using the same x86 architecture as the PS4, the PS5 is almost fully backwards-compatible with its predecessor. This will likely be continued going forward, as Reuters reports that Sony contracted AMD to design and fabricate the PS6's chipset in 2022. Interestingly, it's been claimed that Intel and Broadcom were also in the running for the PS6 contract, but moving away from AMD would've risked backwards compatibility with previous PlayStation consoles.

Either 2027 or 2028, possibly during the fall.

Sony is purportedly keen on ensuring that the PS6 is backwards compatible with prior generations of PlayStation hardware, so it seems likely that the next-gen console will yet again sport an x86 architecture that can run PS5 and PS4 titles. However, the more pertinent question is whether Sony will finally crack the conundrum of PS3 backwards compatibility on the PS6. With PS1, PS2, and PSP emulators now available on PS5, the only missing piece of the puzzle is native emulation for PS3 games. Since there are hordes of great games still locked on the PS3, full backwards compatibility could be a huge selling point for the PS6.

While there's no concrete evidence of when the PS6 will release, rumors and court documents from Microsoft's legal battle to acquire Activision Blizzard suggest that the PS6 could launch sometime between 2027 and 2028. However, after the uproar surrounding the PS5 Pro's $700 price tag, it should be interesting to see how much Sony will charge for the PS6. Many fans worry that the PS5 Pro sets a troubling precedent for the PS6, as the next-generation console could launch at a similarly lofty $700 price point, or potentially even higher.

Posted: 4 hours, 26 minutes ago
Related Forum: PlayStation Forum

Source: https://gamerant.com/sony-ps6-backwards-compatibility-priority-rumor/