SSDs: the real game-changer

With the constant distraction of social media and a seemingly ever-increasing number of streaming services vying for our attention, it’s no wonder that Microsoft and Sony are prioritising speed and convenience as a new console generation begins. PS5 and Xbox Series S/X may not revolutionise our free time, but they’ll certainly let us squeeze more into it. Which, ironically, should mean less squeezing for videogame protagonists: those narrow gaps (and, for that matter, tedious elevator rides) that have so often been used to mask load times in blockbuster games should be surplus to requirements from now on.

While Microsoft’s Quick Resume feature is a godsend for those who like to have several games on the go, PS5’s solid-state drive certainly has the edge in raw speed. That’s reflected in the loading times of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, where it’s a matter of seconds from booting up the console to being ready to swing into action. The times for thirdparty games, such as Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, are less impressive – if still appreciably quicker than their prior-gen counterparts – but will reduce as developers acclimatise. And it’s not just big studios that will capitalise. Ko-Op’s Saleem Dabbous, co-director of Goodbye Volcano High, says PS5’s SSD has allowed the studio to deliver “a perfectly smooth, no-waiting experience that emulates the preciseness of loading up a Netflix TV series, choosing your episode and just going [straight in].” When that’s your competition, cutting down the time barrier can only be to the medium’s benefit.

Q