If this holds true, game developers everywhere can start opening their champagne bottles. After rumors of Sony switching to AMD graphics processors, the speculation machine is in full throttle for Sony’s next generation PlayStation 4. The latest batch of rumors come from Kotaku, stating that Sony plans to abandon the much hyped Cell architecture that was notorious for causing development headaches due to its complex and unorthodox structure.
For those that need a refresher, the Cell Processor found in the current PlayStation 3 is a chip based on IBM PowerPC technology that was originally intended as a form of CPU/GPU hybrid. The Cell sports a single IBM “Power Processing Element” or PPE, along with 8 “Synergistic Processing Elements” or SPEs. The 7th SPE is reserved for the operating system and the 8th was conceived solely to increase manufacturing yields, leaving 6 SPEs for programmers to work with. A notable cousin is the Xbox 360’s own tri-core Xenon processor which sports three PPEs of similar design.
The death of a Cell-based PlayStation would probably bring up more questions than answers, most notably, just what kind of chip does Sony plan to use? An architecture switch to x86/x64 offerings would no doubt make development far simpler from a PC to console standpoint, but it would also create drawbacks in backwards compatibility. Will they stick with IBM’s RISC designs? or would they join the likes of PC enthusiasts with Intel and AMD chips?
Source:
Kotaku
-
Rumor: PlayStation Phone Specs
07 January 2011 7:20 AM | No Comments Read More --> -
Sony Unveils PlayStation Tablets
26 April 2011 12:49 AM | No Comments Read More --> -
Pick Your Two Free PlayStation Games
17 May 2011 1:08 PM | No Comments Read More -->
Related News:
While backwards compatibility would suck, I think it is generally a step in the right direct for developers. Sure, there are still exclusives and what not for each platform, but there are a lot more multi-platform games. So, therefore, it would benefit them to make something easy to develop for from the get go to ensure that multiplat titles are not hampered in any way due to the complexity of the architecture. As for PC gamers this may help in the porting area as well since if the processor isn’t too radically different from that of a normal desktop processor, than porting will be much easier.
Developers, developers, developers! Oh wait, that’s Microsoft… ;P
On a more serious note I think this would be a step in the right direction despite the potential for the loss of backwards compatibility.
It’s something else. Developers have the cell stuff down already. Multiplatform games are ported easily nowadays with practically zero performance issues. Exclusives are of extremely good quality, indie games are being made…
It makes sense to go one way or the other really. It’s not that Cell would be an issue from now on. It’s more like that something better came up or something just as good but cheaper.
I agree with both Factor-X and XMACHINE9000. Hopefully they will be able to make the switch to a processor easier for developers to work with, but also figure out a way in which to still include backwards compatibility with the PS3 (adding support for PSX and PS2 would be nice too…).
As we all know. Sony DOESN’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT BACKWARDS COMPATIBILITY.
EX: launching PS3 w/ ps2 chips inside calling BC a important feature
EX: removing ps2 chip and memory card slot to lower costs and calls BC a feature rarely used
EX: adds specific emulation for specific PS2 games.
EX: Patents PS2 emulation system for the PS3 and doesn’t ever implement it
EX: removal of linux to prevent hackers and custom emulators to play ps2 games.
But ya. There isn’t nearly as many games worth playing on the PS3 as on the PS2…
I don’t think x86 is a right way to go for a console. Though I’m sure PS4 won’t use Cell no more, instead they will use IBM chip.