Atkinson | Release Date: September 18, 2024, 17:30 | Category: IC Design, PlayStation, Semiconductors

Earlier media reports indicated that Sony's next-generation gaming console, the PlayStation 6, is expected to be released in 2027, aligning with the update cycle of its current products. Mark Cerny, who has led the development of the PS4, PS Vita, and PS5, is anticipated to continue overseeing the development of the next-generation console. It is almost certain that the PS6 will continue to utilize AMD solutions, as it is the only supplier Sony is considering.

According to a report from Reuters, AMD has been awarded the contract for the PS6, while Intel and Broadcom were unsuccessful in their bids. Sony, AMD, and Broadcom did not respond to inquiries, but Intel issued a statement that, while not directly addressing the PS6 bidding process, rebutted the reports: "We strongly disagree with this characterization and will not comment on discussions with current or potential customers. Intel has a very healthy pipeline of customers in products and foundry services and is focused on innovation to meet demand."

Although the bidding process for the PS6 contract took place in 2022, this is the first time that details have been made public. Sony emphasized backward compatibility, as both the PS4 and PS5 are based on AMD architecture, which gives AMD a clear advantage. However, interestingly, this was not the primary reason for AMD winning the PS6 contract.

The issue between Intel and Sony was related to chip pricing, which could not be agreed upon, whereas AMD and Sony reached a consensus. Sources indicate that Intel and Sony had continued discussions for several months in 2022, with the CEOs, senior executives, and engineers from both sides holding numerous meetings, but ultimately, the talks went nowhere.

The PS6 is still in the early stages of development, lagging behind competitor Microsoft, and the specifications for its CPU and GPU have yet to be determined. Sony is considering new processing using a chiplet design, which would enable larger cache memory to handle mixed tasks, with the memory expected to be GDDR7.

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