Windrose: high I/O load on SSDs addressed with new update

The developer of pirate survival game Windrose, Kraken Express, has discovered that the game was overloading users’ solid-state drives (SSDs) by writing huge amounts of data. Since the game entered early access on April 14, 2026, many players reported unusually high I/O (Input/Output) workloads.

High workload on SSDs

Among the many complaints, players said Windrose could sometimes read and write up to 30MB/s of data while their character was roaming around. During normal play sessions, the game could write as much as 108GB of data per hour, raising serious concerns about SSD lifespan. Similar to other hardware, such as a controller battery, frequent use reduces lifespan and efficiency until the SSD eventually fails.

Fixing the issue through patches

In response to these concerns, Kraken Express released an update on April 30, 2026, Patch Version: 0.10.0.4.268-9d2ca277, which brings several important improvements. The update not only reduces the load on SSDs, but also fixes unnecessary CPU usage on idle servers and clients. According to the company, console and PC performance have improved, meaning SSDs are now stressed less heavily during play.

Key changes in the patch

• Reduced disk usage: The patch significantly lowered the amount of data written during gameplay.
• Improved server performance: Several improvements were made to boost server performance.
• New save storage and backup system: The update also introduced a new system for storing and backing up save files, which now supports cloud sync and minimizes synchronization issues.

Reception and success of Windrose

Despite the earlier SSD issues, Windrose has posted impressive numbers. The game sold more than 1 million copies within six days of release, giving the developer a chance to thank its dedicated fanbase, which it described as