Looming PS3 ends ‘PlayStation on a chip’ dream

Toshiba closes Emotion Engine spin-off.

Posted by Staff
Looming PS3 ends ‘PlayStation on a chip’ dream
According to reports breaking in the US overnight, Toshiba has closed down Artile Microsystems subsidiary, the US-based research and development outfit tasked with looking at the expanded possibilities presented by the Emotion Engine processor, as found in the PlayStation 2.

Toshiba said in a statement that Artile is to be folded into the firm’s TX RISC business.

“In addition to increasing TAEC's TX-based product portfolio, the integration of Artile will boost TAEC's platform development activities, consisting of complete system solutions for key vertical segments, starting with the home gateway and low-end to mid-end networking niches," said Toshiba.

Regular readers will remember us bringing you the story of Artile being set-up over two years ago. The plan was to look at integrating Emotion Engine functionality into as many household appliances as possible, with the PlayStation 2 acting as a control hub. This, according to the initial release from Sony and Toshiba, would see a total home control solution implemented, that could be accessed from anywhere in the world.

This closure is more significant than it may first appear, as it shows Sony ditching its longer term PlayStation 2 projects, most likely in favour of replacing the broader concepts with solutions delivered by PlayStation 3 technologies.
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