PlayStation 6 Chip Contract Signed by Sony and AMD

The PlayStation 6 rumors broke out a few days ago, and we already have additional information regarding this upcoming next-gen console. Yes, Sony has decided to use AMD custom chips instead of Intel or Broadcom to power the next-gen PlayStation 6 Console. When the PS5 Pro Game Boost raised the anticipation of backward compatibility with last-gen console games, Sony gave the same priority to the PS6.

Sony's next-gen PlayStation 6 will reportedly support games made for the PS4 and PS5 generations. This is according to a new report that detailed how AMD beat Intel and Broadcom to supply the PS6's custom chips. Part of the report outlines how switching from AMD—the company that manufactured the PS5 chip—to Intel could have affected compatibility with previous-gen consoles.

While Broadcom didn't make it to the final bid, the contract auction came down to the last two companies, Intel and AMD. Intel, however, could not reach an agreement with Sony about the price because, according to two sources, there was a disagreement over the amount of profit that Intel would have made from each chip delivered to the Japanese electronics giant. However, the contract was ultimately awarded to AMD after a round of bids that had previously ruled out Broadcom and other custom chip manufacturers.

Sony wanted to ensure that the PlayStation 6 would work with older versions, as they often allow PlayStation users to play games they bought for previous systems on their next-generation consoles. According to the sources, Intel and Sony engineers discussed the possibility of risking backward compatibility if the PlayStation 5 chip had been manufactured by AMD instead of Intel. Custom console chip manufacturers usually aim for backward compatibility with older systems so players can access their old games on the latest versions.

This is where the PS5 Pro Game Boost comes into view. The technical details of the PS5 Pro Game Boost feature have been revealed by Toshimasa Aoki, the Product Manager for PlayStation, and its features were initially announced by Mark Cerny, the chief architect, during the platform's unveiling a few weeks ago. Not only can PS5 Pro Game Boost significantly enhance the visual quality of over 8,500 PlayStation 4 games that are backward compatible, but it can also do the same for certain PlayStation 5 games. For games without PS5 Pro Enhanced support, Aoki-san said that Game Boost can improve as long as the game's resolution and frame rate are unlocked.

So Sony will surely use the Game Boost feature for PlayStation 6 since this feature can be used with over 8,500 PlayStation 4 games compatible with PS5 Pro and playable on that system. Due to this feature, some PS4 and PS5 games may experience performance improvements or stability. To further enhance the resolution of certain PS4 titles, there is now an option to upgrade the visual quality. The newest Wi-Fi standard, Wi-Fi 7, will be available on the PS5 Pro at launch in regions that support it. There is also support for VRR and 8K gaming.

Now that we know AMD is delivering the custom chips for PlayStation 6, we'll probably hear more updates from Sony about their next-gen console soon. One thing for sure is that Sony isn't focusing on launching a budget PS6 version like the Xbox Series S. Instead, they're giving more importance to backward compatibility and enhancing the gameplay quality with better visual and performance stability.