Microsoft has shared details on how the Xbox Series S can make up for its limited SSD storage by enabling smaller file sizes. The Xbox Series S is designed to be the most accessible next-gen system at launch thanks to a relatively low $300 asking price and the Xbox All Access subscription program. The console will primarily serve those gamers who haven’t upgraded to a full 4K setup as of yet, and these same customers aren’t likely to buy expensive SSD add-ons for more Xbox next-gen exclusives.
While there will be a significant graphical upgrade for games taking advantage of the new hardware, one of the main benefits of next-gen that will touch all releases is the reduced loading times and expanded functionality afforded by the console’s new SSD storage. The Xbox Series S comes with 512 GB of drive space, which should support up to 10 AAA next-gen releases digitally. This will be a Series S owner’s only option, as the console is without a disc drive. In addition, as players saw in this generation, game sizes will likely only increase as the generation goes on, which could mean a pretty severe bottleneck for Series S owners in the later years of this console cycle.
Thankfully, Microsoft is not just assuming that everyone is willing to buy a new hard drive at some point in the future. In a recent talk with GameSpot, Xbox director of program management Jason Ronald revealed how Microsoft is enabling developers to size their games appropriately for each iteration of the Xbox. Because the Xbox Series S is aiming for a 1440p resolution rather than the full 4K of the Series X, the console won’t have to download massive 4K textures. Ronald theorizes that this will shrink the size of games on the console by as much as 30 percent.
Ronald also goes into the obvious fact that size isn’t everything when it comes to game releases. While the biggest releases of the last few years (including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Destiny 2) can eat up 100GB or more, the industry is also full of smaller titles that barely scratch a handful of gigabytes. In particular, Ronald presents an Xbox Game Pass subscriber as someone who would be cycling through games of all sizes at such a rate that the 512 GB SSD should hit the sweet spot.
Jason Ronald is right that many players will be more than satisfied with the Xbox Series S‘ reduced hard drive space in the short term. Whether its a Game Pass devotee who plays every new release at launch or a dedicated fan of a specific franchise, there are plenty of scenarios where there will be room to spare on this SSD. For the gamer that wants to play it all, but not in 4K, there’s likely going to be a bigger purchase in the near future. It’s a hassle to be sure, but one that many early adopters in the video game world are already familiar with.
