James Delahunty
5 Dec 2005 11:16
There is an interesting article over at Joystiq that discusses the problems that Xbox 360 games will face in the future due to Microsoft's decision to go for the current DVD format instead of a next generation format. So far, 360 games have yet to come on multiple discs, but an issue of Game Informer indicates that multi-disc games will be coming soon. GI said that nearly every developer it spoke to at X05 complained about the storage issues developing Xbox 360 games.
Apparently, one "highly anticipated" title coming for the Xbox 360 has already used up four full dual-layer 9GB DVD discs. So to play this unnamed game will take 4 disc swaps from start to finish. Japanese RPGs that Microsoft has also been touting are likely candidates. While a game being multi-disc doesn't really effect the quality of the game itself at all, the question has to be asked whether gamers in this day will be OK with having to swap discs mid-play.
Games that would be likely affected by the DVD storage problems in future would be new Grand Theft Auto games for example. Would moving from one part of a city to another require swapping a disc? hopefully not for GTA fans. J Allard has downplayed the storage problems and said improved compression rates in the future will allow more data to be stored on single discs.
Source:
Joystiq