Forspoken adds Microsoft’s DirectStorage tech for one-second load times

While DirectStorage technology has been available on Xbox Series X/S since launch, it is only just coming to PC for the first time this year. Microsoft announced plans to roll out DirectStorage support for Windows last week, and now the first supported game has been announced – Forspoken. 

While Forspoken isn't coming to Xbox at launch (it is a PS5 console exclusive), the PC version will still implement Microsoft's new technology. Luminous Productions technical director, Teppei Ono, also showcased Forspoken's improved loading times using DirectStorage during a GDC 2022 presentation.

Forspoken loads in 24.6 seconds on a traditional HDD, but using an M.2 SSD and DirectStorage, that number can be reduced all the way down to 2.2 seconds. If you have a fast enough PCIe 4.0 SSD, then some parts of the game will load instantly, taking just one second to load up. Forspoken will also be supporting AMD's FSR 2.0 technology at launch, so Luminous Productions is looking to stay at the cutting edge of PC features.

Microsoft has not yet announced other PC games supporting DirectStorage, but we would anticipate some first-party titles will be updated with the feature, like Forza Horizon 5 and Halo Infinite, as well as new releases in the second half of 2022.

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KitGuru Says: The Forspoken DirectStorage demo is promising. Hopefully we'll see similarly boosted loading times on other titles later in the year. 

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