NVIDIA Joins The PS3 Team

[Snoop]

Lot's of news starting to flow now on the upcoming PS3. Looks like the original guys behind the Xbox graphics hardware, have now decided to play for the other team.

Graphics card manufacturer NVIDIA has revealed that it is collaborating with Sony on the graphics hardware for PlayStation 3, described as "SCEI's highly anticipated next-generation computer entertainment system" in press literature.

The companies have been jointly developing a custom graphics processing unit (GPU) incorporating next-generation GeForce technology - the graphics hardware behind NVIDIA's PC products - for the past two years, which will be used alongside SCEI's own system solutions for next-generation platforms featuring the Cell processor.

The move signals a shifting of allegiances for NVIDIA, who developed the graphics hardware at the heart of the original Microsoft Xbox, only for the Redmond-based platform holder to turn around and partner with fierce rivals ATI for "future Xbox products" last August.

Read inside for full article...

[Snoop]

The deal between NVIDIA and SCEI is described as a "broad, multi-year, royalty-bearing agreement," which will "encompass future Sony digital consumer electronics products," and also includes "a variety of graphics development tools and middleware" according to Sony boss Ken Kutaragi.

Given the vast differences in installed bases between the Xbox and the market-leading PlayStation 2, the deal is likely to be seen as a lucrative move for NVIDIA, who had been rather cast aside in last year's Xbox 2 wrangling.

As for the graphics hardware itself, the custom GPU will be a "graphics and image processing foundation for a broad range of applications from computer entertainment to broadband applications."

According to NVIDIA, the chip will be manufactured at Sony's Nagasaki Fab2, as well as OTSS, the fabrication facility Sony shares with Toshiba.

"In the future, the experience of computer entertainment systems and broadband-ready PCs will be fused together to generate and transfer multi-streams of rich content simultaneously. In this sense, we have found the best way to integrate the state-of-the-art technologies from NVIDIA and SCEI," said Ken Kutaragi, executive deputy president and COO, Sony Corporation and president and Group CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. "Our collaboration includes not only the chip development but also a variety of graphics development tools and middleware, essential for efficient content creation."

Microsoft is expected to announce Xbox 2 (codenamed Xenon) in January and the latest speculation suggests that it will be on store shelves by the end of 2005, while Sony's PlayStation successor isn't expected any time before mid-2006.

[thetieger]

hmmm interesting, NVIDIA is a nice chip, so we'll see what happens.

-Thetieger

[deftonesmx17]

the irony here is that if you read the article and broke it down you will pick up that Nvidia has been working close with SCEI for the past two years.......well since its 2004 and two years ago would be 2002, i find it funny since the xbox only came out in 2001, nvidia as everyone knew was unhappy with their profit decrease and lost money on the first xbox, hahahahahahahaha they ran away from microsoft in a hurry didnt they.........one year later they are working with the competition lol , they know sony has a fanbase

[Den Leiw]

sony got ibm for the processor and nvidia for the gfx

what do you need more to make it the best future system ?

[deftonesmx17]

dont forget toshiba...............with those three and now nvidia i dont think they need a single other thing to make the best future system

[poppa-smurf]

dont forget toshiba...............with those three and now nvidia i dont think they need a single other thing to make the best future system

Well, possibly some quality titles.... , that's all.

In all seriousness, it seems that nVidia is going where the money is (can't blame them), and Sony listened to all those people who said that the graphics were sub-par on the PS2, the XBOX was better because of graphics, etc etc.

[TarzanMan]

Microsoft actually passed up Nvidia as the producer of the Xbox2 graphics components.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/06..._ati_for_xbox/

The few articles I read gave the reason as Nvidia's not wanting to have to deal with floating Xbox2-graphics specs during the development period. I wouldn't say that is 'running away'. I've also read that Microsoft tried to get Nvidia to lower the price after they'd arranged a contract.

Perhaps they saw their arrangment with Sony (who has never been worried about their consoles being slightly more expensive with slightly less features), as the better deal and so didn't bid as competitively for Xbox2.

[relfie]

I like nvidia...that's what I use in my pc. Perfect...I can't wait for the PS3!!!

[T07N]

Dammit, NO!!! They should've gone with ATI, but Microsoft already teamed up with ATI. Microsoft left Nvidia for a reason guys . . .