Significant Reduction in Helldivers 2 Installation Size
In a noteworthy development for gamers, Arrowhead Studios has announced a dramatic reduction in the installation size of the PC version of Helldivers 2, now requiring only 23GB of space—an impressive decrease of approximately 131GB from the previous 154GB. This achievement was made possible through collaboration with Nixxes, who assisted in optimizing the game’s asset management.
Previously, the studio had communicated its intention to minimize the game’s footprint by addressing duplicated assets, a strategy that was initially designed to enhance loading times for players using older mechanical hard drives (HDDs). However, the studio cautioned that this approach could lead to loading times being up to ten times slower for those players. Fortunately, Arrowhead’s “worst case projections did not come to pass,” leading to a successful reduction in size without significant impact on performance.
Arrowhead’s previous strategy involved duplicating assets to facilitate quicker access for HDD users. However, with the increasing prevalence of modern solid-state drives (SSDs), this duplication became unnecessary and merely consumed valuable storage space. By eliminating these redundant assets, the installation size has been significantly reduced while maintaining loading times that differ by only “seconds at most,” according to a recent blog post on Steam.
The studio elaborated, stating, “We now know that, contrary to most games, the majority of the loading time in Helldivers 2 is due to level-generation rather than asset loading.” This level generation occurs concurrently with asset loading, making it the primary factor influencing overall loading times, even for users still relying on mechanical HDDs.
Players interested in experiencing this streamlined version can opt into the “slim version” now available for testing. The studio reassures players that opting out is an option should any issues arise during the testing phase. This initiative presents a low-risk opportunity to reclaim approximately 131GB of storage space while aiding the developers in gathering real-world feedback.
Once the technical beta confirms stability, this optimized version will become the default for all players. Arrowhead has indicated that, given the negligible differences in loading times between the two versions, there is little justification for continuing support for the legacy version in the long term. Maintaining both versions would impose an unnecessary burden on their development resources, quality assurance teams, and release processes. The legacy version is expected to be discontinued sometime next year, pending a smooth transition.
For those looking for further details, instructions for opting into the slim version can be found in the Steam post. In related news, the Helldivers film adaptation has secured its director, Justin Lin, known for his work on several entries in the Fast and Furious franchise.
