Pour one out for HDDs as a result of PC video games are beginning to require SSDs

Are you continue to hanging on to that enormous 8TB spinning HDD in your PC recreation installs? Nicely, it’s beginning to appear like SSDs will grow to be the brand new minimal spec for contemporary PC video games. Whereas SSDs have shipped as commonplace within the newest and best PC gaming rigs and laptops, we haven’t seen recreation builders actually push for SSDs at the least… till this week.

Microsoft held its Xbox Video games Showcase on Sunday and revealed that Bethesda’s first new IP in 25 years, Starfield, would require 125GB of SSD storage when it debuts on September sixth. It’s not a suggestion — it’s a minimal spec to play Starfield on a PC.

A single recreation isn’t a development, however on the identical time CD Projekt Crimson additionally revealed that it’s bumping the minimal specs of Cyberpunk 2077 to require an SSD at minimal and phasing out HDD assist. Whereas the system necessities change for Cyberpunk 2077 is expounded to the upcoming Phantom Liberty growth that received’t ship on older HDD-powered Xbox One and PS4 consoles, the bottom PC recreation will probably be up to date quickly to this SSD minimal spec.

“One of many adjustments is the selection to cease supporting HDDs for the minimal necessities – SSDs provide quicker loading instances, improved streaming, and higher general efficiency when in comparison with HDDs,” explains CD Projekt Crimson in a weblog put up.

Cyberpunk 2077 received’t abruptly cease engaged on HDDs, however CD Projekt Crimson will discontinue energetic assist and cease testing the sport on HDDs so gamers might run into efficiency points or bugs ultimately.

It’s inevitable that we’ll see extra PC video games require SSDs at minimal as recreation builders proceed to depart behind the Xbox One and PS4 era of consoles and begin to push the boundaries of the Xbox Sequence S / X and PS5. Each the Xbox One and PS4 shipped with HDDs and consoles at all times closely affect how a cross-platform recreation is developed.

Now that present gen consoles are all SSD we’re about to see what builders can do with this fast-loading know-how now that they’re ready to depart HDDs within the historical past books. Hopefully we’ll see extra video games assist DirectStorage too. It’s going to nonetheless be a gradual transition the place video games are unlikely to really be blocked from operating on HDDs, however in case you’re nonetheless keen on the whirling from a spinning disk then savor the second as a result of builders are on the brink of transfer to a world of SSD velocity and silence.