Hardware

CD-ROM

650 megabytes of possibility

CD-ROM transformed gaming through massive storage capacity, enabling full-motion video, voice acting, and expansive worlds impossible on floppy disks.

pcPlayStationSaturnmega-cd storageopticalmultimedia 1985–present

Overview

CD-ROM offered 650MB of storage—over 400 floppy disks worth. This capacity enabled full-motion video, voice acting, CD audio soundtracks, and sprawling game worlds. The technology transformed expectations: games became cinematic experiences. Some developers filled the space wisely; others padded with forgettable FMV. Either way, CD-ROM defined 1990s gaming.

Fast facts

  • Capacity: 650-700MB.
  • Read speed: 1x = 150KB/s; improved over time.
  • Gaming adoption: started early 1990s.
  • Advantages: capacity, CD audio, cheap replication.
  • Disadvantages: load times, seek times, scratches.

Gaming impact

How CD-ROM changed games:

  • Voice acting: full dialogue possible.
  • FMV: full-motion video sequences.
  • Music: CD-quality soundtracks.
  • Scope: larger worlds, more content.
  • Multimedia: encyclopaedias, educational software.

Platform implementations

CD-ROM in gaming:

  • Mega-CD: Sega’s add-on (1991).
  • PC CD-ROM: standard drive adoption.
  • PlayStation: CD as primary format.
  • Saturn: also CD-based.
  • 3DO, CD-i: multimedia-focused platforms.

See also