According to recent rumors, the PlayStation 4 will be ditching the Cell architecture and are joining with AMD for a completely new makeup for the next generation console. Â The next console is rumored to feature an x86 processor, with the GPU and CPU to reside on one chip. Â During this generation many developers have complained of the difficulty of developing on the PlayStation 3, and this could be one reason that the directional shift in design is being made.
Richard Leadbetter of Digital Foundry explains this shift as one that is being forced upon the console maker by the industry.
“It’s not about exotic, groundbreaking hardware anymore, it’s all about creating the best possible games machine with an enviable set of development tools, and it’s an approach that has already yielded results,” Leadbetter explains. “While PlayStation Vita may lack a stand-out killer app, I still think that it’s set the bar in terms of overall quality and quantity over and above any console launch I’ve seen in over 21 years in the business. Extrapolating that same philosophy towards PlayStation 4 makes a PC-style approach to Sony’s next console seem very likely indeed.”
If these rumors hold true, AMD will be the big player when it comes time for next generation consoles, and as for the PS3, it could become a lot easier for developers to get the most out of the hardware.
