As ominous as that headline is, the reality behind it may be even more terrifying; The Xbox 360 iteration of id Software’s RAGE requires 22GB of hard drive space.
During his keynote at the recent Quakecon event in Texas, id co-founder and gamer demigod John Carmack leveled with the assembled shooter fans. ShopTo News reports:
“On the 360 we don’t have a partial install option,” [Carmack said.] “It’s all or nothing, which is kind of unfortunate. It means you have to install 21-22GB of stuff, which takes a long time, but if you’ve got it and you play it on the 360 that’s the only way to go.”
Before you decry those digits as the lunacy of a sunbaked madman, remember, this is the not the first time Xbox 360 owners have had to deal with such large installation requirements. The recent LA Noire asked players to install three DVDs worth of data, for instance.
Admittedly, in that instance, players could install a single disc at a time as the story progressed, thanks to its relatively linear nature. Given RAGE’s sprawling, open-world climes, it remains to be seen whether players will have the option to install data as necessary, or if Xbox 360 players will just have to bite the bullet and absorb the memory hit all at once.
On a related note, it was rather polite of Mr. Carmack to attempt to soothe theoretically enraged gamers by adding that the Xbox 360 is the console of choice for the game. If nothing else, it offers Microsoft devotees some much-needed verbal ammunition for when their PlayStation-owning pals start ragging on them and praising the superiority of Blu-Ray.
If that act of generosity has you clamoring to hear more from Carmack, id uploaded the entirety of his Quakecon 2011 keynote to YouTube over the weekend. You’ll find it embedded above, but fair warning: Catching the entirety will drain nearly an hour and a half of your life.
I’m sure there’s a parallel to be drawn between the lengthy video and RAGE’s installation requirements, but you seem like a smart bunch. I’m sure you can work that out for yourselves.
Source: ShopTo News
