PlayStation 3 Hard Drive Usage Clarified

Specific details of how the PlayStation 3’s hard drive will be used to improve game access have come to light, suggesting that some games could install large amounts of data in an attempt to improve load times. The information came to light at the recent Sony “Gamer’s Day” event, with a report from MTV News revealing that the game Genji: Days of the Blade would install 4GB of game data to the hard disc, in a process lasting only three minutes and available as an option from the game’s main menu. The article cites a Sony representative as suggesting that the one-time process for the first-party PS3 title cut down load times from fifteen seconds to four when used. However, the 'part-install to HD' option was not mentioned in conjunction with any other game. Unlike the Xbox 360 and Wii, all versions of the PlayStation 3 have access to a hard drive as standard – either a 20GB or 60GB version. Some observers have raised concern at the speed of the Blu-ray drive and whether this would create longer load times than current generation consoles. Whether the use of the hard drive in this manner is a response to this issue is as yet unclear.