A document written by a senior software development engineer at Microsoft indicates an upcoming Xbox 360 system update will allow gamers to put the console's USB ports to good use. USB storage is finally coming to the 360.
The folks at Joystiq obtained the aforementioned document which states the system update, coming this spring, will make it possible for up to two USB storage devices of up to 16 GB each to be used to store saves, digital media, and even full disc-based games. From Joystiq:
With an artificial cap of 16 GB – still shy of the 20 GB hard drive that shipped with the original 2005 Xbox Pro and a fraction of the size of the currently shipping 120 GB hard drive – USB storage support simply removes the onerous requirement for a Memory Unit on Xbox 360 Arcade units, and brings the Xbox 360 platform a feature that's been present on the PlayStation 3 since that console's 2006 launch.
Microsoft makes too much money selling its expensive HDDs to do the right thing. And with 250 GB HDDs hitting the shelves for the first time this year (outside of 360 bundles), it doesn't look like its storage strategy will be changing any time soon. This is a step in the right direction, albeit a small, tentative one.
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