External Storage for Xbox Series X: Can You Run Games Off of Them?

The advancement in gaming has led to an increase in game sizes and storage requirements. Many players are looking for ways to optimize their storage usage and access a wider range of games. One common question is: Can you run games off external storage on your Xbox Series X?

Current Capabilities with External Storage

It is indeed possible to store your Xbox Series X games on external storage devices, such as the 4TB drive, 3TB drive, 2TB drives, and the 1TB expansion card you mentioned. However, there are certain limitations and restrictions:

Must Transfer Games Back to Internal Drive: In order to play a game, it must first be transferred from the external storage device back to the internal SSD. This process can take some time depending on the size of the game and the speed of your external storage. Contact with Internal Drive for Game Execution: Games from the optimized Xbox Series X library, which includes games designed for the latest hardware, need to be run from the internal SSD or the expansion Seagate SSD drive. This ensures optimal performance and compatibility. External Access for Backwards Compatible Games: Backwards compatible games can currently be run from an external USB drive without any issues, which is a significant benefit for players with limited internal storage.

Game Library Management on Xbox Series X

Managing a large game library on the Xbox Series X requires efficient storage management. Here are some tips to optimize your game storage and access:

Store Non-Optimized Games on External Drives: Backwards compatible and non-optimized games can be stored on external drives. This allows you to save internal SSD space for optimized games that require it. Regularly Transfer Games: Periodically transfer games from external storage to the internal SSD before playing them to ensure optimal performance. This is especially important for optimized games, as running them from an external drive may result in lower performance. Use the Expansion Card Wisely: The 1TB expansion card is a convenient way to store games, but remember to transfer them to the internal SSD before playing.

Future Storage Improvements for Consoles

Considering the growing storage demands of modern games, there is a push for consoles to have more internal storage space. Many users have suggested that newer consoles like the Xbox Series X should come with at least 2TB built-in storage or more. The current limitations, while practical, highlight the need for increased storage capabilities in future console designs.

Conclusion

While you can store Xbox Series X games on external storage devices, you must be mindful of the requirements for optimized and backward-compatible games. By leveraging external storage effectively and ensuring that optimized games are run from the internal drive, you can optimize both your storage usage and gaming experience. The demand for improved storage is clear, and it will be interesting to see how future console designs address this need.