Exclusive: Playstation 3 - AMD 2GHz CPU running Linux

(This is an April Fools news story)

Reports from the Tokyo Games Show, suggest that the Sony's next generation console (code name AP1 -- or PlayStation3) will be based on a 2GHz version of AMD's Athlon processor, running on a specially developed gamers version of Linux.

The open source community are hopping mad at Microsoft's attempt to muscle in on the games scene with the X-Box and have vowed to stop them -- offering their services free to Sony to develop the code for PS3. Working out of a secret unit near Tokyo, a team of Linux coders are believed to have already developed a working beta.

Linus Torvalds for the open source movement, and AMD's CEO, Jerry Sanders, chaired a developers meeting at the Tokyo Games Show, where some of the games businesses leading companies are believed to have expressed support for the open-source based PlayStation3.

Tomb Raider, the heroine of the Tomb Raiders games, is believed to be one of the first titles to appear on PlayStation3. An Eidos insider said: "You should see the graphics. That Linux code and 2GHz AMD chip can certainly produce some life like effects. Lara Croft looks just like a real person -- albeit one with a slightly exagerated curve."

Launch date has been provisionally announced for PlayStation3 -- believed to be some time close to the beginning of April next year, or the year after that, or possibly the year after that.

Go and read the news comment at AnchorDesk for April 1.