Arrowhead explains why Helldivers 2's install size is so large on PC and will not be changing

Arrowhead Game Studios, the developer of Helldivers 2, has revealed why the PC version of the game's install size is so large in comparison to its console counterparts and why it is unlikely to shrink anytime soon.

The details:

• In Arrowhead’s first ever “Tech Blog” posted to Steam, deputy technical director Brendan Armstrong explained why the game’s PC install size is a whopping 150GB, which is around three times that of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions. Armstrong shared that Arrowhead has used data duplication, which is a method designed to improve loading speeds for players still using mechanical hard disk drives by duplicating certain files such as visual and audio assets, making it quicker for the HDD to find and read them.
• The developer notes that most modern gaming PCs use solid-state drives (SSDs), which lack moving parts and are much faster; hence, many titles nowadays include the drive in their minimum specifications. However, it’s a lot more difficult than simply dropping support, as Helldivers 2’s specs say that HDDs are supported, and Arrowhead estimates that 12% of Steam players still use the older drives, though it adds that the data is “very unreliable and relies on a lot of extrapolations.”
• Solutions to reduce the game’s size that have been brought up but ultimately pushed to the side include removing data duplication and making 4K textures optional downloads for players to save on storage for those with SSDs. Still, the studio is investing in a multi-stage plan to combat the issue, beginning with the removal of unused assets, bundling common assets and removing their duplicates, and optimizing Helldivers 2’s usage of RAM.