Chipmaker AMD has clarified its support policy for older RDNA 1 and RDNA 2 series graphics cards following a significant negative reaction from its user community, retracting an earlier perception that the hardware was being moved into a maintenance-only mode.
The company stated on Monday that Radeon RX 5000 (RDNA 1) and RX 6000 (RDNA 2) GPUs will continue to receive support for new game releases, stability fixes, and critical updates. Game-specific optimizations will also be provided when market needs arise, AMD said in an official post and subsequent press communications.
This announcement comes after widespread criticism from gamers, tech channels, and system integrators. Many highlighted that RX 6000 cards, in particular, remain popular and offer strong performance in contemporary titles. The community viewed the initial “maintenance mode” decision as a premature abandonment of these products.
AMD emphasized that public pressure influenced its decision to issue a clearer statement. While new features and major architectural innovations will primarily target the latest RDNA 3 and future RDNA 4 generations, essential support for the older cards will not be cut off.
The maintained support includes “day-zero” compatibility for new game launches, ongoing bug and stability fixes, and crucial security updates.
However, advanced driver features that rely on deep microarchitectural changes, such as new proprietary extensions, will likely remain exclusive to newer RDNA generations. Owners of RX 5000 and RX 6000 series cards can expect new games to function and critical performance improvements to be delivered as needed.