Microsoft officially unveiled the Xbox Series X console during The Game Awards 2019. Since then Microsoft representatives have been much more open when discussing certain aspects of the new powerhouse console. With a console so big-looking, it's understandable that Microsoft would want to describe what's inside and why Xbox fans should be excited. One aspect of the console that's receiving a lot of attention is the Xbox Series X's SSD.

Speaking to GameSpot, Xbox partner director of program management Jason Ronald explained what Microsoft's goals are, focusing on the SSD. "It's really about giving the developers the tools and the capabilities to use the hardware in the most efficient way possible," says Ronald, before pointing out that the SSD is a clear example. "We've invested in NVME SSDs and we're also giving developers a lot of new capabilities on top of that to try to virtually eliminate load times."

RELATED: Xbox Series X Will Launch With Thousands of Games Thanks to Backward Compatibility

Previous generations of consoles have relied on mechanical hard drives that are extremely cheap to manufacture, rather than invest in costly SSDs. Despite the cost, Microsoft and Sony are both making the step forward and putting SSDs in their next-gen consoles. And it's going to help immensely, as with no moving parts, SSDs are significantly faster. A decent SSD can often provide 5x the speed for read/write times compared to a hard drive. A great SSD could be 10-15x faster.

The opportunities for Xbox game developers to utilize this extra speed can't be understated, and clearly Ronald isn't holding back. When he says Microsoft is offering a chance to try and "virtually eliminate load times," he's serious. "If you think about a massive open-world game and actually want to fast-travel or teleport from one end of the world to the other, I shouldn't have this loading experience [that takes] me out of the immersion."

What Ronald is pitching isn't necessarily what's going to happen, of course. PCs have utilized high-speed SSDs for years now and while they are very fast, loading times have hardly been eliminated. While the Xbox Series X's gaming-optimized hardware will make a big difference, it's the developers who will make the final decision. Whether they prioritize 60fps, 8k resolution, or ray tracing, the Xbox Series X can only do so much despite its likely power.

nvme ssd

The truth of the issue will become clearer closer to the Xbox Series X's release in late 2020. As more studios unveil their games and detail their technical aspects, fans will find out what each game's priorities are. Open world game developers, like Rockstar with Red Dead Redemption 2, would certainly benefit from reducing load times as much as possible, but whether they'll prioritize it over draw distance or other marketable technical details is less obvious. Developers will absolutely make the most of the new SSD in exciting new ways, regardless if they eliminate load times or not.

The Xbox Series X releases in late 2020.

MORE: What We Know About PS5 And Xbox Series X Specs

Source: GameSpot