- Summer Game Fest organizer Geoff Keighley hosted an interview with Mortal Kombat 11 creative director Ed Boon this weekend.
- The veteran developer explained that the next-gen leap wouldn’t be so much about graphics as “almost zero load times.”
- Boon says he was impressed by the PS5 Unreal Engine 5 tech demo.
The conversation surrounding the next-gen PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X hasn’t gravitated so much towards the graphical capabilities but the speed of their respective SSDs. Mortal Kombat 11 creator Ed Boon certainly agrees.
Next-Gen Solid State Drives
In the case of the PlayStation 5’s reportedly ultra-fast SSD, we’ve had developers gushing left, right, and center about blistering speeds and vastly reduced loading speeds.
While there hasn’t quite been the same outpouring of admiration for the Xbox Series X, Microsoft did demonstrate the Quick Resume feature earlier this year. It’s nothing short of impressive.
Courtesy of another insightful sit down with Geoff Keighley under the Summer Game Fest banner, we have yet another developer waxing lyrical. This time around, it’s none other than Mortal Kombat 11 creative director, Ed Boon.
When asked about the possibilities afforded by the PS5 and Xbox Series X, Boon explained:
It’s funny; when these new consoles come out, and everybody goes, okay, so what’s the graphics look like? I think people are underestimating the impact that the almost zero load time is going to have. It’s suddenly going to open doors that weren’t considered possible before. I think we haven’t even scratched the surface of what will eventually be done with those systems.
The veteran developer continues:
To me, the graphics are a given. Okay, the graphics are going to be better. But, this new way of handling memory and loading, and stuff like that, is going to be huge.
Unreal Engine 5 Tech Demo
Speaking specifically about the PS5 Unreal Engine 5 tech demo, Boon explained that he was full of admiration and as taken aback watching as anyone else:
From our perspective, we are also looking at the other games that are coming out and are excited about. We are all gamers too. We are part of that audience, too. I was riveted watching the PlayStation 5 and Unreal Engine 5 demo and going ‘that can’t be real, come on, that can’t be real.’
Although there’s little doubt that the next-gen SSD will spearhead the generational leap, a nod from a veteran like Boon certainly helps to back up platform holder marketing, which will invariably veer towards the hyperbolic.
This article was edited by Sam Bourgi.
