It's way too early to declare a winner in the next generation console race but with Microsoft's recent decision to do away with daily check-ins and used game restrictions, the playing field is much more level now. One thing is for certain, however: Microsoft and Sony are poised to sell a ton of new consoles this holiday season and beyond.
That of course presents another interesting question. Will the console makers be able to keep up with supply or will gamers have to submit to typical price gouging on eBay to get a system at launch? That's yet another question that remains to be seen but according to chip maker AMD, there won't be any production delays on their end.
If you weren't aware, AMD is supplying silicon for both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4. AMD corporate vice president Saeid Moshkelani recently told GamesIndustry they have a strong manufacturing base for their APUs and discrete graphics and that they leverage the same manufacturing infrastructure to develop for game consoles.
As such, volumes were not something that raised eyebrows for AMD because they already manufacture in high volumes, Moshkelani noted. From a manufacturing perspective, they can ship tens of millions of units within a year.
AMD also supplied hardware for Nintendo's Wii U which is all part of their plan to be the dominant player in game consoles, handhelds and cloud gaming. Gaming has always been a part of their business - "gaming is in our DNA," Moshkelani concluded.