The Coalition has developed an innovative method to improve performance for Gears of War: E-Day on the Xbox Series S by leveraging its SSD as a form of expanded RAM. This technique addresses the console's limited 10GB of RAM compared to the 16GB found in the Xbox Series X, a critical factor for a graphically demanding title like E-Day.
Studio technical director Kate Raynor detailed the approach in an interview with Digital Foundry. The core of the solution involves offloading data that is not actively required during gameplay from the main RAM to the SSD. This process is akin to how a PC uses a page file when its memory is full. However, the primary challenge with this method is the significant speed disparity between RAM and SSDs, which typically results in noticeable performance degradation.
To mitigate this slowdown, The Coalition focused on strategically choosing which data to transfer. By prioritizing assets that are not in constant use frame-by-frame, the game ensures that critical data remains in the faster system memory. This selective offloading allows Gears of War: E-Day to maintain smoother performance on the Series S.
While this technique has its limitations and can impact performance if the page file is accessed too frequently, it appears to be effective. Combined with the removal of Lumen reflections, The Coalition has successfully optimized the game for the Xbox Series S. This approach may offer a viable path forward for other developers facing similar memory constraints on current-generation hardware, particularly for less powerful consoles.
Gears of War: E-Day recently launched into early access, introducing notable changes from previous entries in the series. The Coalition has expressed pride in the game's status as a flagship exclusive for Xbox, highlighting its importance within the platform's lineup.