Games require more and more storage space on your hard drive or solid state drive. The current generation of consoles has an average storage capacity of 500 GB or 1 TB. However, this is no longer enough to install multiple recent games. The problem remains in the next generation of consoles seen the consoles will be released with similar storage sizes.
The more recent games require more and more storage storage space. For the installation of some titles you need more than 100 GB of free storage space on your hard disk or solid state drive. Seen the most recent releases, a hard drive of 500 GB or 1 TB offers enough space for a handful of games at the same time.
Problems in the next generation of consoles
However, the storage problem does not seem to resolve itself in the next generation of consoles. Microsoft and PlayStation have recently announced the specifications of Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The storage space in these consoles is considered to be much faster, however the developers still use the same storage sizes. This is a serious limitation with an estimated 1 TB of free volume.
The Xbox Series X has a physical port that makes it possible to increase the internal storage by adding an additional solid state drive that is as fast as the internal drive. Convenient, but you may need to purchase multiple external solid state drives if you want to install larger numbers of games at the same time.
Larger games and software updates
It is a fact that games have become more and more detailed and realistic. Higher resolutions, more details, better textures. These are some of the reasons why games require more and more storage space.
In the past, games were limited by the storage space available on a floppy disk or disk. Developers were given the task to make the game work on the available hardware and limited hard disk storage. Today, as a result of the possibilities to download games and larger updates and content over the internet, these physical limitation are no longer considered a problem.
The result are games whose installation files are so large that the installation medium is no longer the limiting factor, but the physical storage space on the internal or external drive in the computer or console. These game files are no longer reasonable for users and too large.
Date limitations of internet providers
It is possible to delete unused games to save space on the internal and external storage. However, this procedure means that you will have to reinstall games more often. Reinstalling and updating games requires a stable internet connection and sufficient data. These amounts of data are not available to all users and may become a physical limitation.
Even in some European countries, internet providers limit the amount of data you can use each month. After exceeding these downloading limits, the download and upload speed of your internet connection drops to a minimum. This mean that downloading an update may take several days or limits your access to the internet.
Bandwidth and data limitations should be a long forgotten past, but internet providers are using these limitations even more to make users pay additional fees for more data and to make more profit.
Physical disks and custom installations
Gamers who prefer physical games need to use multiple disks to install an entire game on their computer or console. In some countries, physical installations remain the best option for users with a more limited internet connection. The required updates with additional content make some games unplayable.
In the next generation of consoles, additional updates are planned to improve the current generation of games. These software updates will only be downloaded if the console supports the capabilities.
These custom installations are a good step in the right direction. Users should be given the option to install the game content they want to install on their device. The game files need to be more flexible.
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Disclaimer. This post contains copyrighted images from the Seagate Storage Expansion for Xbox Series X, an external storage drive developed and produced by Seagate. The fair use of copyrighted works for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting or research is not considered as an infringement of copyright.
