Square Enix and I-O DATA are teaming up to bring an original design SSD for Final Fantasy XIV

Square Enix has announced its collaboration with manufacturing company I-O Data to produce a Final Fantasy 14 SSD. The data storage device will go on sale in Japan on December 2, however pre-orders are now available via the Square Enix e-Store.

The external SSD will deliver 500gb in size via the USB 3.2 Gen 1, and will set you back ¥11,880 ( approximately $115). The device retails a little higher than the standard SSD or 1TB device due to its licensing, but it will make a great companion for PC players. I-O Data owns an app called GigaCrystaPhantom which allows Final Fantasy 14 to be transferred from HDD to the new SDD with haste, saving players the trouble of re-downloading the game.

Square Enix did some testing for the occasion, and what better way than to test out the speed of Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers on the storage device. As expected of a solid-state drive, the loading times are much lower compared to the standard HDD installed onto a PC. When Square Enix tested out the SSD from I-O DATA, it clocked in at about 14 seconds to load up Shadowbringers. On the other hand, a PC with a regular HDD took more than double the time with about 30 seconds for the same load.

Final Fantasy XIV is available for the PlayStation 4 and PC. If you’re interested in checking out the game, a Free Login Campaign is currently underway through November 23, 2020. In case you missed it, I-O DATA is teaming up with Square Enix to make an original design SSD featuring the Final Fantasy XIV logo.