PS5 storage snafu gets messy, while Xbox Series X cleans up

Sony complicates things for PS5 players with a growing library of next-gen games

Sony PS5
(Image credit: Sony)
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With both the Xbox Series X and the PS5 out in some places, we’re getting loads of new information that wasn’t revealed in the run-up to the launch of these consoles. Things like the actual storage size of the machines have come to light, and it’s had some people wondering how best to deal with potential storage issues. 

The most cost-effective way of dealing with this would be to use an external HDD, as many people already own them because of the current-gen consoles. However, it doesn’t seem as though that’s going to be an option, at least not for PS5 owners. 

 The Sixth Axis reports that the PS5 doesn’t allow users to move PS5 games from the internal SSD to an external drive. This means that you’re currently stuck with uncertainty with regards to storage upgrades as Sony has yet to announce any M.2 NVME SSD drives as compatibility with the PS5. 

The outlet states that the PS5 views the HDDs as a drive for storing PS4 games rather than general-use storage. This means that PS5 users will simply have to delete their games in the event that they reach the limit of the storage. 

This is going to be a bigger issue than with the PS4 due to the size of the new games coming out and the texture packs required to hit higher resolutions, even if the PS5 is struggling with certain resolutions at the moment. 

It’s also far worse in the face of the fact that the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S don’t have this problem, allowing users to move or copy games optimised for the next-gen consoles to an external drive fairly easily. 

You’ll get a warning stating that the game won’t run from the external drive, but you can at least use it to back your games up and save yourself having to redownload them. That’s not as ideal as buying yourself an expansion card, but at least you have the option there. 

And with the PS5 having neither option available now, you'll want to manage your storage very carefully! 

Source: The Sixth Axis

Jason Coles
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