Devs Need to Think of PS5’s SSD “As a Tool, Not a Silver Bullet”

Every generation brings with its the promise of new technological enhancements to expand the horizons of video games as a medium, and this upcoming generation, too, is doing that in several ways. One key component in both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X that has been highlighted more than most is their solid state drives, with Sony in particular really emphasizing the benefits of the PS5’s SSD in the lead-up to the console’s launch.

The most important thing, however, is that developers can use that tool properly. Jan Kavan, CEO of CBE Software – developers of the recent first person horror title Someday You’ll Return – recently spoke with us about the PS5’s SSD, and said that while it will, of course, “be a huge benefit”, developers should “think of it as a tool and not a silver bullet.”

“Super-fast SSD again is a game-changer,” Kavan said. “But it’s worth noting, that developers need to think of it as a tool and not a silver bullet. It’s very easy to reach any kind of technological ceiling by abusing resources. So, by itself the PS5 SSD will be a huge benefit if the developers don’t access it as an infinite resource. I can’t wait for the games to cancel loading screens, especially after dying.”

During the interview, Kavan also spoke with us about various other aspects of next-gen hardware, such as how he thinks the Xbox Series X’s Velocity Architecture can help development of open world games, or that the majority of developers probably won’t be using next-gen GPUs to their fullest.

CBE Software’s Someday You’ll Return is out for PC now, and will come to PS4 and Xbox One later this year.