Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart is very much looking forward to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. One of the reasons is the next-gen console RAM — in his own words, it's the "most important" thing about the next generation of gaming.
"Now our job is to put people into worlds, and technology does afford us to make a world more believable..." Urquhart explained to GamesIndustry.biz. "I've been asked before what's the most important thing about future generations? And I'm like 'RAM', the least sexy thing out of all of it. But more RAM means more NPCs, more trees... Your streaming point is out a little farther and all these little things."
What is the Next-Gen Console RAM for PS5 and XSX?
The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X are both aiming to provide the best experience yet. That promise is backed by some pretty respectable tech.
In terms of next-gen console RAM, the PS5 is going to feature 16GB of GDDR6 RAM. That will be matched by the Xbox Series X which will also have 16GB of GDDR6 RAM.
The RAM is one of the few fronts were both consoles are practically the same. One point should be noted by PC gamers, though — they may well need to get more RAM to play future multiplatform releases. The day of the 8GB minimum may very well be over.
Obsidian Boss Has Eye on Design (But Tech is Important, Too)
While more next-gen console RAM is certainly helpful for better multiplatform games, that's only a small piece of the puzzle.
"Of course technology is important to RPGs, but for us it is about characters, story, reactivity and player agency," Urquhart said. "I was playing an Apple 1.5-plus -- it wasn't really an Apple 2 because my friend's dad had cobbled it together -- and we were playing Wizardry in like 1980. And here we are 40 years later, and Obsidian is still making RPGs. So what makes an RPG is not the technology.
"Can we do more with technology?" he continued. "Absolutely. But it still always has to go back to characters, story, reactivity[,] and agency. And that has to be irrespective of technology."
Tech isn't the be-all, end-all of good games — note what Obsidian managed to accomplish with Fallout: New Vegas — but the greater amount of next-gen console RAM will give developers a lot more room to build awe-inspiring worlds.
Do you think the 16 gigs of next-gen console RAM will be enough to move gaming forward? Which of your games eats up the most RAM? Let us know in the comments below!
