Since the PlayStation 5’s release over two years ago, the PS5 SSD has been widely praised by developers and industry leaders for its role in improving gaming experiences. This trend continues, as Tekken 8 producer Katsuhiro Harada recently emphasized the significance of the PS5 SSD in an interview published in PLAY magazine’s latest issue.
Harada stated that one of their main goals for Tekken 8 is to make players feel glad they purchased the new generation of hardware. He pointed out that while high-end PCs can produce impressive graphics, it’s a remarkable achievement to deliver such high-quality visuals on a standardized console at a reasonable price. Harada considers the PS5 SSD to be the most significant factor in evolving the player experience in Tekken 8.
We have a few goals, actually, of what we want to achieve, but one of the major ones is to feel like, ‘I’m glad that I bought that new generation of hardware because this Tekken is just so awesome and so brand-new.
If you have a lot of money, you’re rich, for example, and you can buy a high-end PC, then you can make the graphics look as pretty as you want. But to have a standardised console that anyone can access for a reasonable price, I guess you could say, to achieve the current level of graphics is really quite an evolution. The PS5 SSD is probably even the biggest thing that’s gonna evolve the player experience in the game.
Although Harada didn’t go into detail, it’s clear that the PS5 SSD’s lightning-fast load times will make starting rematches in Tekken 8 quicker and more efficient, reducing the sting of defeat. The Xbox Series S and X consoles, which also feature SSDs, should offer a similar experience, albeit with slightly slower load times compared to the PS5 SSD.
For the PC version of Tekken 8, whether or not Bandai Namco utilizes Microsoft’s DirectStorage API remains uncertain. Currently, only one game, Forspoken by Luminous Productions, supports the API despite several updates from Microsoft.
Tekken 8 will bypass last-gen platforms, making it the first entry in the franchise to release exclusively on current-gen consoles. However, it’s not just the added power of current-gen hardware that sets the game apart; the PS5 SSD is the game-changer. Its ability to put players into matches faster enhances the overall gaming experience.
That’s not to say Tekken 8 won’t benefit from the improved graphical capabilities of the new consoles. Gameplay clips reveal a more polished appearance and superior graphics compared to Tekken 7. Additionally, Harada confirmed that Tekken 8 will support rollback netcode and crossplay, though no release date has been announced. Bandai Namco Entertainment has confirmed that the game will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
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