Brendan Armstrong, the deputy technical director at Arrowhead Game Studios, recently engaged with the Helldivers 2 community on Reddit, addressing a question that has piqued the curiosity of many: why does Helldivers 2 occupy approximately 150GB on PC, while its console counterparts require only about a third of that space?
Understanding the Size Discrepancy
Armstrong clarified that the disparity in file size primarily stems from the varying storage technologies utilized by players. A notable portion of the PC gaming community still relies on hard disk drives (HDDs) rather than the faster solid-state drives (SSDs). To enhance the gaming experience for those using HDDs, Arrowhead has implemented a strategy of duplicating certain data files. This approach is crucial because, in Helldivers 2, a match cannot commence until all players have fully loaded the mission, regardless of their hardware.
As Armstrong explained, “The time it takes for this arm to ‘seek’ or move to the correct location is a significant performance bottleneck.” By duplicating essential assets—such as common textures or sound effects—and strategically placing them in close proximity on the disk, the game can access necessary information in a continuous sweep. This method significantly reduces loading times, making for a smoother gameplay experience.
Reflecting on the broader implications of storage requirements, Armstrong noted that the “seek” time is a key reason why many modern games specify an SSD as part of their minimum system requirements. He recalled his own frustrations when Starfield announced its SSD requirement, a sentiment shared by many gamers still using HDDs.
Balancing Player Needs
The conversation then turned to a critical question: should Arrowhead continue to support HDD users or prioritize optimization for SSD users? While the studio lacks precise data on the percentage of players using HDDs, Armstrong offered a rough estimate of around 12%. This figure, albeit unreliable, still represents a significant number of Helldivers players.
Armstrong also explored potential solutions to the storage issue but acknowledged the challenges involved. For instance, removing duplicated assets to reduce file size would lead to drastically longer loading times for HDD users—potentially ten times slower—an outcome Arrowhead deems unacceptable. Similarly, making 4K textures optional would require substantial reworking of the game, a task that, while possible, seems unlikely to materialize soon.
Despite these challenges, Armstrong assured the community that Arrowhead is actively seeking ways to manage the game’s install size. The studio is considering bundling frequently used assets to streamline loading processes, though this may still result in longer load times for HDD users, albeit not excessively so.
In closing, Armstrong conveyed a commitment to finding a better equilibrium between loading times and installation size. He emphasized that while the issue is complex and unlikely to be resolved quickly, accommodating both HDD and SSD users remains a priority for Arrowhead as they strive to enhance the overall gaming experience.
