Sony will shortly allow us to expand the not so big internal storage space in both versions of the PlayStation 5 that launched last November.

The PlayStation 5 Standard Edition and the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition both come with an 825 GB SSD, which is welded onto the motherboard of the console, as we mentioned last year (it could be a problem: if the SSD dies, you might have to replace the whole console). Sony told Bloomberg that the currently available 667 GB internal storage space can be expanded with external storage from a later point in 2021.

Sony plans to release a system software update this summer to allow us to add more storage to the next-gen console. It’d be a good time for it, as the games continue to get bigger and bigger. A Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War can take away 100 gigabytes, and Call of Duty: Warzone can push it even higher – we can’t even dare to think what Activision Blizzard’s annual cash cow IP will require later…

Eurogamer reports that a 17 GB update for Call of Duty: Warzone required PlayStation 5 users to clear 100 gigabytes of space before it could be downloaded. And while the PlayStation 4 allows us to connect external hard drives via USB, the PlayStation 5 has a custom architecture, making it impossible to do at the moment. (And the Xbox Series use a proprietary cartridge slot for external storage…)

The summer firmware update will also reportedly increase speeds for the console’s cooling fan to prevent overheating (which is fine, unless the console becomes louder than a vacuum cleaner). „As previously announced, we are working to enable M.2 SSD storage expansion for PlayStation 5. The timing has not been announced and details will be shared later,” a Sony spokesperson told Bloomberg.

Source: Gamesindustry