AMD to Develop Processor for Xbox Next: Strengthening Long-Standing Partnership with Microsoft

Whoa, where do I even start with this rollercoaster of tech news? So, here’s this wild bit of info that blew my mind — Microsoft and AMD are, like, extending this gripping handshake across future Xbox consoles and, drum roll, some portable gizmos. Yup, we’re talking cozy, multi-year cuddles in the tech space. It’s like they’re planning a tech family reunion for consoles.

You got Sarah Bond from Microsoft all jazzed up about this. She’s spilling the beans about how they’re partnering up to create silicon for stuff you’ll be using in the living room, maybe while munching potato chips, and, get this, in your hands too! Who’d have thought, right?

Anyway — wait, back to the point. Finally, an official nod from the suits at Microsoft acknowledging what we’ve all wanted to believe: fresh Xbox consoles are brewing. We’re talking about them strutting in with pumped-up AMD magic under the hood. Like, picture beefier processors in the new-gen lineup, the kind that would make Scarlett SoC, the current big shot, a tad envious.

So there’s this interesting tidbit: the plan is to keep things backward compatible. Enter Zen CPU cores and AMD’s Radeon doohickeys sticking around, meaning your old games won’t just sit around gathering digital dust.

Uh, where was I? Oh yeah, the release timeline is anyone’s guess, though, if we play detective — think late 2026-ish? With Zen 6 CPUs and RDNA 5 GPUs potentially making a grand entrance. But hey, don’t quote me on this; it’s one big speculative bubble.

Now, here’s something that really made my ears perk up. Portable Xbox consoles are on the horizon! I mean, after Steam Deck’s entrance and others vying for a slice of the portable pie, Xbox probably thought, “Why not?” It’s kind of exciting, seeing them dive into this niche with a custom processor.

There’s so much buzzing about Xbox letting you play wherever, whenever, like some kind of gaming genie granting wishes. Microsoft’s ready to splash some cash across console, handheld, PC, and cloud domains. It’s like a gaming buffet, and I’m hungry just thinking about it.

Microsoft’s ambitions seem boundless, judging by Bond’s chatter about Xbox marrying Windows ecosystems. Apparently, they’re scheming for the best of both worlds — gaming without borders, or struggling to remember if you left your console on.

Tune in next time when, hopefully, more details about this tech circus surface. Until then, stay curious!