Intel lost out on a major contract to design and fab Sony's next-generation PlayStation 6 console back in 2022, which "dealt a significant blow" in the company's efforts to build its struggling contract manufacturing business.
In a new report from Reuters, we're learning Intel could've been inside of the PS6 console which would've had them enjoy billions and billions of dollars of revenue, fabricating thousands of silicon wafers per month. In the competitive bidding process to supply and design the PS6 chip, it was a fight against AMD and TSMC, which have made the chips for both the PS5 and upcoming PS5 Pro consoles.
AMD has been enjoying the fruits of that semi-custom SoC labor, pumping out tens of millions of PS5 chips and 10+ million PS5 Pro consoles... and every single future-gen PS6 in 2026 and beyond. Reuters reports that Intel and AMD were the "final two contenders in the bidding process for the contract".
If it worked out that Intel had won the PlayStation 6 contract, it would've been a game-changer for the company. Instead of an AMD-designed semi-custom SoC inside of the PS6. Intel Foundry would've been rubbing its hands together winning a huge contract like that for its semiconductor business, after CEO Pat Gelsinger created the foundry business as part of his huge turnaround part... which has been falling apart of late, but a PS6 contract win would've been huge.
- Read more: Sony's next-gen PS6 should hit 4K 120FPS or 8K 60FPS thanks to PSSR
- Read more: AMD reportedly already got the contract to build a chip for Sony's next-gen PS6
- Read more: Sony on evolving into the next-gen PS6: 'there's still more we can do'
Intel could've enjoyed 100 million+ PlayStation 6 consoles sold over 5 years, which would've helped Intel win other contracts after it had bagged the PS6 contract. That went to AMD, and we see AMD chips inside of various gaming handhelds, laptops, consoles, and more.