A new video published by Moore’s Law Is Dead claims that Sony would send technical guidelines to developers to enable low power mode on PS5. The idea would not be to reduce consumption for the planet, but to lay the foundations for compatibility with the PS6 Portable expected between 2027 and 2028.
The YouTuber quotes a developer who received these emails: it would be a question of maintaining 60 images per second, even if it means lowering the resolution, and above all limiting the number of CPU cores used. This optimized mode would simulate the performance targeted by the future portable console, which would feature a Zen 6c chip that is less demanding than that of the PS5.
A portable console planned from the design of the PS6
Sony would never have stopped dreaming of a true autonomous portable machine. The PS Portal was just the first step. According to leaks, the PS6 Portable would be designed to run PS5/PS4 games locally without streaming. Which means games that are perfectly optimized in advance.
The developer contacted by Moore’s Law Is Dead explains that Sony would be “sincerely annoyed” by the low number of studios that are still integrating this mode. Their objective is clear: to ensure that the future PlayStation catalog is playable from the launch of the nomadic version.
The Amethyst project, Sony–AMD alliance for the PS6
The development of the PS6, including its portable version, is based on close collaboration with AMD, known as Project Amethyst. This alliance aims to create a unified architecture that is adaptable to several formats.
Mark Cerny, Sony’s iconic engineer, was “really excited about the idea of integrating them into a future console in a few years” during an official video in October. The link with the PS6 seems obvious, even if it has not yet been formally announced.
Jack Huynh (AMD) confirmed that the new AMD rendering engine would be at the heart of this development, with energy management designed for hybrid devices.
Towards a more accessible console, without technical overkill
Sony seems to want to avoid the mistakes of the launch of the PS5, considered too expensive by part of the public. According to Moore’s Law Is Dead, the PS6’s approach would take that of the PS4: a balanced, affordable machine, designed for the general public, including in its portable version.
The philosophy, summarized by a source close to the matter, is not to “bank on extreme specifications in order to appeal to the general public after the previous generation left some consumers wanting more due to its high price at launch”.
Behind the scenes, everything indicates that Sony is actively working on a smooth transition to a new generation of consoles, compatible, mobile, and calibrated to seduce from day 1.