Xbox 360 Games to be 'HDD Required'

Microsoft U-turns, permits devs to use HDD.

Microsoft has spent two years strenuously denying that it would allow games for its Xbox 360 console to require a hard disc drive to operate, but today, it changed its mind. It's something we've thought was inevitable ever since the 'Core' and 'Premium' Xbox 360 bundles were first announced - only the latter of which is packaged with a hard drive.

For the time being, it's just developers of MMO (massively multiplayer online) games for the system that Microsoft has granted permission to make HDD-only games. But considering the 'guaranteed' hard disc that all PS3 users have, we think that as the difference in games becomes apparent further down the line, it's likely Microsoft will open the 'HDD Required' floodgates to other developers too.

It wouldn't even surprise us to see Grand Theft Auto IV as a shock HDD-only title; Rockstar representatives have always nervously sidestepped the issue whenever we ask about anything to do with the HDD in the game at the private demos we've seen of it.

The news from industry magazine Develop reports that developers will be able to create a 'Master Storage File' on a user's disc. But Microsoft guidelines issued to the game makers state that titles will have to clearly state the requirement, as well as the HDD space required for the game to run, right on the front of the game's box.

Microsoft's Ian Lewis told developers: "Feel free to require 30GB for your game - that's just going to make your potential audience a lot smaller."

Meanwhile, unfounded rumours of an 'Xbox Ultimate' pack to supersede Xbox 360 Elite have started to circulate, touting an internal HD-DVD drive (currently only available as an add-on). Even if this rumour were true, it would be harder to believe that Microsoft would take the decision to release games that are only available on HD-DVD. In fact, speaking to Kikizo late last year, former Xbox head Peter Moore guaranteed us they would never do it.

Then again, they also said that games would never be marked HDD-Required.

Kikizo Staff