Digital Foundry has shared new insights into the future of PlayStation hardware, following Mark Cerny’s presentation with AMD’s Jack Huynh on Project Amethyst — a joint initiative shaping the architecture of the next PlayStation console. The discussion highlighted three major innovations expected to define the PlayStation 6 (PS6): neural arrays, radiance cores, and universal compression.
According to Digital Foundry’s Oliver Mackenzie, these features represent a major generational leap rather than a simple upgrade. “Mark is basically saying that because of Project Amethyst and because they’re co-engineering hardware development with AMD, they’re trying to create this convergence of machine learning and ray tracing that will serve as the basis for future hardware,” he explained.
Cerny confirmed this in his responses, emphasizing that PlayStation’s next system is being designed with efficiency and scalability in mind. The PS5 Pro, which focuses on incremental performance improvements and advanced upscaling, will act as a bridge to the next generation. However, PS6 is described as a true “step change” with entirely new architectural foundations rather than an extension of existing hardware.
Digital Foundry also discussed the likely launch window, referencing Cerny’s comment that the new technology is still in the “simulation phase.” Industry insider Kepler_L2 suggests that PS6 is currently targeting a 2027 release, though the team noted that delays could push it into 2028. This would make the PS5’s lifecycle among the longest in PlayStation history, spanning roughly eight years.
Mackenzie added that early signs suggest Sony’s next console will be built around AMD’s RDNA5 architecture, offering enhanced ray tracing and machine learning capabilities. These upgrades are aimed at solving long-standing bandwidth limitations and improving performance efficiency through features such as universal compression.
Digital Foundry’s John Linneman pointed out that this shift could also result in a prolonged cross-generation period, as developers gradually transition their engines to support more advanced features. “If engines start leaning heavily into ray tracing and machine learning, older hardware like the base PS5 just won’t be able to handle it,” he said.
While PS6 remains several years away, the discussion made it clear that Sony’s collaboration with AMD is focused on ensuring long-term scalability. As Mackenzie summarized, “They’re laying the groundwork for a platform that can scale across the next decade.”
