For many who, for one purpose or one other, contemplate consoles to be an inconvenience, PCs are among the finest issues to occur to gaming for the reason that flip of the century. And why wouldn’t they be? Daily, gaming rigs that obliterate conventional gaming consoles in efficiency are mass-produced. Nevertheless, PC gaming just isn’t all roses and sunshine; one of many drawbacks is the large dimension of video games, lots of which should be downloaded, particularly within the age of digital distribution.
A number of the PC video games with the most important file sizes generally is a downright ache to run for gamers who attempt their hardest to make some house on their drives for these titles. So long as gamers are assured that they’re going to have a good time taking part in the titles of their selection, there isn’t any denying that these video games will likely be value putting in, even when the house they occupy might be downright mind-blowing at occasions.
As sizes can fluctuate relying on the shop, we are going to use the Xbox PC app if the sport is on the market, as that lists the set up dimension. If not, we are going to add Steam’s storage data. Additionally, base content material solely, no extra stuff like DLC.
Up to date January 30, 2026, by Mark Sammut: Three video games have been added: Genshin Impression, KCD2, and Delta Pressure.
Why Are Trendy PC Video games So Giant?
Earlier than we dive into the complete rankings, it’s value briefly discussing why video games have grow to be so ludicrously giant. At one level, a 512GB SSD was sufficient to retailer most AAA initiatives launched in a 12 months, whereas leaving room for each different software program it is advisable to set up. These days, a single PC recreation might take up half of that drive’s house. Yearly, the set up dimension threshold is elevated, and you must think about {that a} breaking level will likely be reached sooner quite than later.
So, what are the issues that contribute probably the most to this forever-expanding dimension, particularly on PC? Effectively, the next components are necessary:
- Whereas builders would possibly compress video games for consoles, this apply doesn’t appear to increase to the PC variations.
- Lately, now we have arguably seen an increase in suboptimized releases, and that goes past simply the {hardware} required to run the video games.
- Multiplayer and live-service modes are a part of most main AAA video games, and so they take up a number of house.
- Open-worlds. Merely, open-worlds.
- Cutscenes have gotten very top quality. Additionally, almost all large initiatives launch internationally, so they are going to want audio information for a number of languages.
- If you’d like 4K textures, you want the house to have 4K textures.
- Ray-tracing additionally contributes, though in a roundabout way.
Ray-tracing barely impacts file dimension by itself; nevertheless, the ultra-high-resolution textures and belongings that ship alongside it make trendy PC video games so giant.
Can You Cut back the Set up Measurement on PC?
Sure, though the chances fluctuate from recreation to recreation. If house is restricted, preserve an eye fixed out for these choices, if they’re out there:
- Disable language packs
- Don’t set up HD textures
- Set up solely the single-player mode when you have no intention of taking part in multiplayer (only a few video games provide this, however a few of the greatest titles do)
- Use NTFS compression (on Home windows, simply right-click on the sport’s folder, choose properties, Normal’s Superior, and choose “compress contents to avoid wasting disk house.”) This often ends in decrease efficiency, so it is determined by your priorities.
22
Mass Impact: Legendary Version
120 GB (However Varies, As You Can Choose Which Sport To Set up)
The announcement of the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was one thing that took each outdated and new followers by storm. Commander Shepard’s story is likely one of the most memorable in gaming, and having the chance to discover all of it as soon as once more with up to date visuals was a deal with certainly.
Even probably the most refined gamer will likely be bewildered by the sheer scale of those video games. These are the open-world video games that take the longest to beat.
If there’s one factor that the Legendary Version taught players, it’s that texture packs can take up a ton of house. This assortment may need all three video games, however 120 GB remains to be a large set up dimension for any title.
21
Forspoken
121.73 GB
Sq. Enix has infamously dealt with its Western IPs horribly, and Forspoken might be the final recreation funded by this writer following the developer’s sale to Embracer Group. This try at making an isekai open-world title was marred with many points stemming from its gameplay and writing, resulting in a scorching mess of a title that ended up underperforming throughout the board.
The traversal system of this recreation could also be a blast, nevertheless it merely would not do sufficient to justify gamers having to undergo tedious story sequences and boring fight again and again. Maybe the most important and most egregious mistake made by this recreation is the truth that it takes up a whopping 150 GB of house, which is just ridiculous and goes to indicate how poorly optimized this recreation is, with the necessities for this recreation not justifying the drab and uninteresting visuals.
20
Genshin Impression
142.63 GB
An open-world free-to-play gacha recreation that has been rising for about 5 years, Genshin Impression is clearly large, and I’m speaking nearly its set up dimension. If in case you have been taking part in the sport since its 2020 debut and, consequently, have been downloading updates often, you won’t understand simply how large the set up file has grow to be, as you want greater than 140 GB proper now. Genshin Impression can be not accomplished increasing, so its dimension will solely get bigger from right here.
To be honest to HoYoverse, you may see the place the 140 GB went. Teyvat has a few absolutely fleshed-out nations that may be sufficiently big on their very own for most traditional open-world releases. Though anime visuals have a tendency to not be as demanding as photorealistic ones, Genshin Impression‘s graphics are pretty spectacular and look sensible, for probably the most half. Additionally, you want house for all those playable characters.
19
Delta Pressure (Together with Marketing campaign)
144.23 GB
Delta Pressure has led a bizarre life to this point. On the one hand, this free-to-play shooter has a couple of sturdy issues in its favor. Visually, it is likely one of the best-looking video games on PC. Multiplayer is available in two flavors that cater to barely totally different audiences. You’ve Warfare that prioritizes automobiles and options staple PvP modes like King of the Hill and Workforce Deathmatch, together with Operations that leans into extraction shooters. Lastly, Black Hawk Down is a single-player or co-op marketing campaign that has you’re employed by means of a string of missions, most of that are fairly onerous.
Delta Force: All Operators (& How to Use Them)
Here is the complete checklist of playable operators in Delta Pressure, together with breakdowns for his or her talents and recommendations on find out how to use them.
General, Delta Pressure has greater than sufficient positives to warrant a attempt, however the recreation additionally has its points. The marketing campaign might be irritating, particularly when tackled solo. On-line matches are susceptible to cheaters, particularly if you’re taking part in on PC. Resulting from it being free, you need to give Delta Pressure a attempt, however be ready for a large obtain.
In case you are not within the marketing campaign, you may simply obtain the multiplayer, which brings the overall dimension to about 116 GB.
18
Microsoft Flight Simulator
157 GB
It might sound like a niche genre, however flight simulators are usually a few of the most detailed video games in the marketplace. Microsoft Flight Simulator is likely one of the most spectacular titles throughout the style to this point, with its eager consideration to element and concentrate on realism making it an enormous recreation total.
The sport’s commonplace version comes with greater than 20 sorts of plane gamers can pilot, with the deluxe and premium deluxe editions including 5 and ten extra plane, respectively. Funnily sufficient, the 2024 entry within the collection requires much less house than its predecessor, because it solely wants 50 GB of obtainable house on Steam.
17
Black Delusion: Wukong
130 GB
Black Delusion: Wukong took the world by storm on launch, breaking record after record by way of concurrent participant rely on Steam in a matter of days after its launch. It clocked in at over 2 million gamers roughly 24 hours after it got here out. As probably the most trustworthy recreation of the legendary Chinese language story, Journey to the West to this point, it is no surprise it turned as common because it did.
Contemplating the breathtakingly attractive visuals, high-res textures, and particle effects infused into every single frame of this Motion RPG, it is a surprise the builders, Sport Science, managed to condense the package deal into as little as 130 GB on launch. It is a kind of video games gamers want solely take a look at as soon as to know why the file dimension is as giant as it’s.
16
Gears of Conflict Collection (4 And 5, Primarily)
125–135 GB
Whereas not each Gears of Conflict recreation is on the market on PC, the franchise has principally made the soar, and the upcoming E-Day will launch on the platform. Unsurprisingly, a collection identified for its graphical prowess tends to have fairly big file sizes, with Gears of Conflict 4 and Gears 5 each requiring greater than 100 GB to put in. Reloaded and Techniques are a bit extra forgiving, however they’re nonetheless big video games, contemplating one is a remaster and the opposite is a part of the technique style.
Gears 5: The 10 Most Powerful Enemies, Ranked
Gears 5 solidified the brand new enemy sorts of the franchise, together with the Swarm and DeeBees, and listed below are probably the most highly effective enemies within the recreation.
Do the video games warrant such large sizes? Effectively, they give the impression of being nice, even in any case these years, and the campaigns are comparatively prolonged. Additionally they have multiplayer modes, so the packages embody an excellent quantity of content material.
15
S.T.A.L.Okay.E.R. 2: Coronary heart of Chornobyl
146.33 GB
S.T.A.L.Okay.E.R. 2: Coronary heart of Chernobyl got here out to blended critiques. Regardless of the delayed launch date, bugs harking back to the primary STALKER plagued the sport, souring the gritty, atmospheric, open-world SCP-like adventure for many gamers.
Owing to its reasonable graphics and high-res textures, the sport requires about 140+ GB of storage to run. Hardcore followers most likely will not discover the sacrificed disk house an excessive amount of of an ask as a result of, whereas the sport has its issues, it has all of the hallmarks of the unique title within the collection and the identical attraction that made it a cult traditional.
14
Forza Horizon 5
148.93 GB
Forza Horizon is the definitive open-world racing franchise, and it’s also the one which cracks the 100 GB mark on PC. Bringing to life a reasonably reasonable model of Mexico, the fifth entry has all the things going for it. The visuals are top-notch and possibly the most effective within the style, at the least relating to open-world releases.
Best Crossplay Games On Xbox Game Pass To Play Right Now
These nice Xbox Sport Move video games assist cross-platform multiplayer, granting gamers entry to PS5 and PC gamers.
So long as you want arcade-style controls, the gameplay is accessible and gloriously over-the-top, with a few of the occasions being actually absurd. Lastly, Forza Horizon 5 is likely one of the higher live-service choices, which has stored it related for years.
13
Starfield
149.86 GB
Bethesda’s newest motion RPG has garnered a primarily optimistic reception, and whether it is something just like the studio’s different high-profile releases, Starfield has an energetic and shiny future forward of it. Utilizing procedurally-generated know-how, the sci-fi recreation options an enormous number of planets that gamers can go to and arrange a base on.
There are additionally a few distinctive cities that gamers might want to go to to finish the primary story and purchase a lot of the secondary content material. Starfield‘s ambition might be seen in its obtain dimension, which displays its scope. Visually, the sport seems good, however it’s not essentially an all-timer.
