AMD hints three new consoles exist, at least one will launch this year
AMD's latest investor statement suggests three new consoles are in the works, at least one of which is expected to arrive later this year. The statement appears to boost rumors of new consoles like the new PlayStation codenamed Neo and the Nintendo NX.
Lisa Su, AMD CEO, announced three "design wins" for its console-focused Semi-Custom division, emphasizing these are separate from the company's current game console business. The company expects the new designs to bring $1.5 billion revenue in their lifetime, starting in the second half of this year. This suggests the new consoles will start rolling out this year and beyond, according to Eurogamer.
However, Su revealed "not all" products will ship this year. GamesIndustry.biz takes this to mean that at least one of the new designs will be included in a product that will begin production in 2017. She did not provide the specifics of the new design wins though, preferring their clients to let the market know when they're ready to launch.
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"I don't believe that we've gone through any detail about what those wins are, so I would prefer to let that come out as our customers are ready to launch," Su told investors.
All three major home consoles, that is PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo's gaming devices, use AMD's technology. The company's new designs could possibly be integrated in the rumored new PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo NX, according to IGN.
Eurogamer also believes one of these designs is the new SoC (system on chip) processor in the new PlayStation Neo. Based on documents received by Giant Bomb, the new PlayStation console will feature an upgraded version of PS4's processor (an 8 Jaguar Cores clocked at 2.1 GHz) and 2.3 times improved GPU (improved AMD GCN, 36 CUs at 911 MHz). The publication continues its speculation saying that the other two designs could either be the upcoming Nintendo NX and an upgraded Xbox or the console and handheld versions of the NX.
