BioWare/Irrational Embraces AMD's 4x4 Platform
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Software Industry Embraces AMD's Upcoming PC Enthusiast Platform; PC Games Joining Digital Media Software in Transition to Multi-Threaded Applications
SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 26, 2006--AMD (NYSE: AMD) announced today broad software developer support for its upcoming four-core, multi-socket enthusiast platform, codenamed 4x4. Leading software developers including Bioware, Cakewalk, Crytek, Havok, Irrational Games, Midway, NERO and Sony have been working on software applications and games to take advantage of multi-core processors and benefit from AMD's Direct Connect Architecture.
"We're looking at a decidedly multi-core processor, multi-threaded application future for the PC industry," said Bob Brewer, corporate vice president, Desktop Business, AMD. "AMD has planned this enthusiast platform so that software developers can design outstanding multi-threaded applications for consumers who demand the very best immersive computing experience."
Multi-threaded games are among the first applications to see immediate advantages from using multi-socket, multi-threaded architectures like the upcoming 4x4 enthusiast platform and make exceptional demonstrations for new PC technologies.
"With Crysis, our flagship title, we are pushing the boundaries of game-physics, intelligent combat AI and cinematic visuals," said Cevat Yerli, President and CEO, Crytek. "Crysis will be an experience culminated in next-generation hardware when utilized with a multi-core system like AMD's highly anticipated 4x4 enthusiast platform."
While games tend to dominate the headlines when talking about powerful, new enthusiast driven products, the introduction of a desktop multi-socket platform should also provide digital media developers and clients a feature rich solution to fit their needs.
"AMD's combination of HyperTransport(TM) technology and an integrated memory controller gives us the bandwidth we need to see impressive performance scaling on multi-core systems," said Curtis Palmer, senior vice president, chief technologist, Sony Media Software. "Because of Direct Connect Architecture, an AMD 4-core, multi-socket solution should help Sony Vegas 6 users edit high definition video with unparalleled responsiveness and use effects that would have been unthinkable on earlier hardware."
With an abundance of multi-core applications and games under development, developers are seeking technology that helps craft their visions, unbound by the limits of legacy hardware capabilities. The planned AMD enthusiast architecture would help developers bring the limits of imagination to reality: massive symmetric multi-processing, extreme multi-tasking, AI, jaw-dropping game play, enhanced physics, immersive 3D and cinematic visuals.
AMD's upcoming four-core, multi-socket platform is based on AMD's Direct Connect Architecture, which is the next iteration of the enthusiast platform for AMD Athlon(TM) 64 FX dual-core processors.
About AMD
Advanced Micro Devices (NYSE: AMD) is a leading global provider of innovative microprocessor solutions for computing, communications and consumer electronics markets. Founded in 1969, AMD is dedicated to delivering superior computing solutions based on customer needs that empower users worldwide. For more information visit www.amd.com.
Cautionary Statement
This release contains forward-looking statements concerning planned product and technology introduction schedules, which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements in this release involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the company's current expectations. Risks that the company considers to be the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements include the possibility that the company may not achieve its planned product and technology introduction schedules; that solutions providers will not provide the infrastructure to support the company's planned products and technology in a timely fashion or that the adoption of AMD64-based infrastructure technologies by OEMs will not occur as expected.
We urge investors to review in detail the risks and uncertainties in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including but not limited to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 25, 2005 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 26, 2006.
(C) 2006 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, AMD Athlon, and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. HyperTransport is a licensed trademark of the HyperTransport Technology Consortium. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Addendum - Software Developers Embrace Upcoming AMD Platform
"BioWare is committed to delivering truly amazing next-generation gaming experiences. Our future title "Dragon Age(TM)" is an excellent showcase of what we can deliver by combining our BioWare Eclipse Engine(TM) with its multi-core design philosophy with the power of an AMD four-core, multi-socket architecture," said Trent Oster, director of technology at BioWare Corporation.
"Cakewalk is excited to see AMD's plans to add significant computing power to desktops. Multiple socket architectures supporting four available CPU processor cores means that professional quality audio solutions, formerly available only to high-end audio studios, can be available to everyone," said Ron Kuper, CTO, Cakewalk, Inc. "The ability of SONAR 5 to take advantage of AMD's Direct Connect Architecture means that audio enthusiasts, DJ's and musicians can create, mix and author original material without worrying about the constraints and limitations of their computer."
"Now that AMD is planning a four-core, multi-socket architecture, Havok's HydraCore(TM) physics technology will be able to tap into a set of programming resources for PC games that we have never been able to take advantage of before," said Jeff Yates, VP of product management at Havok. "This architecture will allow us to deliver more performance and ultimately more creative freedom to today's top game developers who rely on Havok to enhance their game-play experience."
"The future of gaming is multi-core, and with BioShock we have aggressive plans for an impressive multi-core future," said Chris Kline, lead programmer, Irrational Games. "Because of architectures like Direct Connect Architecture from AMD, we can now develop games with visuals, physics, AI, and audio that were not possible before."
"Now that AMD is planning a 4-core, multi-socket architecture, we are able to process more gaming threads simultaneously and greatly increase our frame rates as well as lowering the requirements on the OS to allow it to continue processing important system level functions," said Mark Caldwell, executive producer at Midway Home Entertainment. "With Rise & Fall we saw an improvement of 10 frames per second (FPS) and a 30 percent reduction running the OS on a two-core system, and 15 FPS and more than 75 percent reduction on a four-core system."
"Nero 7 Ultra Suite applications support multi-core environments and our digital media enthusiasts can look forward to experiencing the true advantages offered by products like the upcoming AMD 4x4 enthusiast platform," said John Tafoya, Vice President of Nero Inc. "Those who require the highest performance multi-core digital media applications can expect increased performance and time savings with the first multi-socket and multi-core desktop platform powered by AMD Althon processors. The 4x4 enthusiast platform is expected to offer excellent performance for our customers who demand nothing short of the very best."
