

Following a recent update, the file size of Helldivers 2 on PC has surpassed 140GB, leading to frustration among players. Developer Arrowhead Studios responded to this concern in a Steam post titled Tech Blog #1, pointing to the issue as being linked to outdated mechanical HDDs. This blog series will provide regular updates on the game’s performance and ongoing changes.
The file size on PC is nearly three times that of the console version due to data duplication. This method, employed to optimize games for older storage formats such as HDDs and DVDs, is unnecessary for SSDs, which is why this issue does not affect console versions. Arrowhead clarifies that HDDs experience “seek time” delays because data is stored on a rotating platter and accessed by a mechanical arm, in contrast to SSDs.
Arrowhead intends to mitigate data duplication but recognizes the challenge posed by varying player circumstances. They suggest short, medium, and long-term strategies to minimize file size without causing significant increases in load times.
**Short Term:** The upcoming update will implement small enhancements by eliminating unused assets, but the addition of new content will counterbalance these reductions, stopping further size growth.
**Medium Term:** The studio is working on de-duplicating data by creating bundles of “very common assets,” which may lead to slight increases in loading times for HDD users but should stay under 30 seconds. This method might also elevate RAM consumption, a factor they are keeping an eye on to maintain a balance between RAM, load times, and installation size.
**Long Term:** Future enhancements to the engine aim to prevent unnecessary RAM usage for commonly used data, tackling the limitations of the existing methods.
Helldivers 2 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
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