Microsoft is reportedly making a major shift in its Xbox 720 strategy. The company is expected to use an AMD processor in the Xbox 720 instead of the processor it currently uses in the Xbox 360. The move might make some current Xbox 360 owners unhappy.
Bloomberg received the information from an anonymous source:
"The Xbox will use an AMD system-on-a-chip that combines powerful 'Jaguar' central processing units with graphics chips, said one of the people, who sought anonymity because the plans aren't public. The shift to the so-called x86 format ubiquitous in modern personal computers means Microsoft will drop the Power PC technology designed by International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), and game discs made for the current Xbox 360 won't be compatible."
The move to an AMD processor is also believed to make it easier for game developers who already make games for PC and mobile devices and will now find it much easier to create titles for the Xbox 720. Richard Doherty, president of the technology consulting firm Envisioneering Group, told Bloomberg why this move could be a great move:
"We'll probably see many more titles because the console makers are saying the publishers are back in the driver's seat, developers won't have to reinvent various features, such as smoke, shading and reflections for each machine and can essentially create once and port once, and be done."
Game publishers have complained that current consoles, each with a different architecture, come with a steep learning curve that drives up development costs, according to Doherty. "Those companies will save money with the new chips," he said.
Microsoft is preparing to unveil the Xbox 720 on May 21 and the console is expected to go on sale in November just like the PlayStation 4.
Are you upset that Xbox 360 game discs will not be able to be played on the Xbox 720 due to moving to a new chipset? Let us know in the comments.
