For those who, for one reason or another, consider consoles to be an inconvenience, PCs are one of the best things to happen to gaming since the turn of the century. And why wouldn’t they be? Every day, gaming rigs that obliterate traditional gaming consoles in performance are mass-produced. However, PC gaming is not all roses and sunshine; one of the drawbacks is the massive size of games, many of which must be downloaded, especially in the age of digital distribution.
Some of the PC games with the largest file sizes can be a downright pain to run for players who try their hardest to make some space on their drives for these titles. As long as players are assured that they’ll have a great time playing the titles of their choice, there’s no denying that these games will be worth installing, even if the space they occupy can be downright mind-blowing at times.
As sizes can vary depending on the store, we will use the Xbox PC app if the game is available, as that lists the install size. If not, we will add Steam’s storage information.
Updated December 17, 2025, by Mark Sammut: We’ve added Black Ops 7 to the list, as its file size is massive. We have also added two introductory sections that focus on why modern PC games are so big, and if there are any ways to reduce the install size.
Why Are Modern PC Games So Large?
Before we dive into the full rankings, it is worth briefly discussing why games have become so ludicrously large. At one point, a 512GB SSD was enough to store most AAA projects released in a year, while leaving room for every other software you need to install. Nowadays, a single PC game could take up half of that drive’s space. Every year, the installation size threshold is increased, and you have to imagine that a breaking point will be reached sooner rather than later.
So, what are the things that contribute the most to this forever-expanding size, especially on PC? Well, the following factors are important:
- While developers might compress games for consoles, this practice does not seem to extend to the PC versions.
- In recent years, we have arguably seen a rise in suboptimized releases, and that goes beyond just the hardware required to run the games.
- Multiplayer and live-service modes are part of most major AAA games, and they take up a lot of space.
- Open-worlds. Simply, open-worlds.
- Cutscenes have gotten very high quality. Also, nearly all big projects launch internationally, so they will need audio files for multiple languages.
- If you want 4K textures, you need the space to have 4K textures.
- Ray-tracing also contributes, although not directly.
Ray-tracing barely affects file size on its own; however, the ultra-high-resolution textures and assets that ship alongside it make modern PC games so large.
Can You Reduce the Install Size on PC?
Yes, although the possibilities vary from game to game. If space is limited, keep an eye out for these options, if they are available:
- Disable language packs
- Do not install HD textures
- Install only the single-player mode if you have no intention of playing multiplayer (very few games offer this, but some of the biggest titles do)
- Use NTFS compression (on Windows, just right-click on the game’s folder, select properties, General’s Advanced, and select “compress contents to save disk space.”) This usually results in lower performance, so it depends on your priorities.
19
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
120 GB (But Varies, As You Can Pick Which Game To Install)
The announcement of the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was something that took both old and new fans by storm. Commander Shepard’s story is one of the most memorable in gaming, and having the opportunity to explore it all once again with updated visuals was a treat indeed.
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If there’s one thing that the Legendary Edition taught gamers, it is that texture packs can take up a ton of space. This collection might have all three games, but 120 GB is still a massive install size for any title.
18
Forspoken
121.73 GB
Square Enix has infamously handled its Western IPs horribly, and Forspoken is probably the last game funded by this publisher following the developer’s sale to Embracer Group. This attempt at making an isekai open-world title was marred with many issues stemming from its gameplay and writing, leading to a hot mess of a title that ended up underperforming across the board.
The traversal system of this game may be a blast, but it simply doesn’t do enough to justify players having to go through tedious story sequences and boring combat over and over again. Perhaps the biggest and most egregious mistake made by this game is the fact that it takes up a whopping 150 GB of space, which is simply ridiculous and goes to show how poorly optimized this game is, with the requirements for this game not justifying the drab and uninteresting visuals.
17
Microsoft Flight Simulator
157 GB
It might sound like a niche genre, but flight simulators tend to be some of the most detailed games on the market. Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the most impressive titles within the genre to date, with its keen attention to detail and focus on realism making it a huge game overall.
The game’s standard edition comes with more than 20 types of aircraft players can pilot, with the deluxe and premium deluxe editions adding five and ten additional aircraft, respectively. Funnily enough, the 2024 entry in the series requires less space than its predecessor, as it only needs 50 GB of available space on Steam.
16
Black Myth: Wukong
130 GB
Black Myth: Wukong took the world by storm on release, breaking record after record in terms of concurrent player count on Steam in a matter of days after its release. It clocked in at over 2 million players roughly 24 hours after it came out. As the most faithful recreation of the legendary Chinese story, Journey to the West to date, it’s no wonder it became as popular as it did.
Considering the breathtakingly gorgeous visuals, high-res textures, and particle effects infused into every single frame of this Action RPG, it’s a wonder the developers, Game Science, managed to condense the package into as little as 130 GB on launch. It’s one of those games players need only look at once to understand why the file size is as large as it is.
15
Gears of War Series (4 And 5, Mainly)
125–135 GB
Gears 5
10/10
- Released
-
September 10, 2019
While not every Gears of War game is available on PC, the franchise has mostly made the jump, and the upcoming E-Day will release on the platform. Unsurprisingly, a series known for its graphical prowess tends to have pretty huge file sizes, with Gears of War 4 and Gears 5 both requiring more than 100 GB to install. Reloaded and Tactics are a bit more forgiving, but they are still huge games, considering one is a remaster and the other is part of the strategy genre.
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Do the games warrant such big sizes? Well, they look great, even after all these years, and the campaigns are relatively lengthy. They also have multiplayer modes, so the packages include a good amount of content.
14
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
146.33 GB
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl came out to mixed reviews. Despite the delayed release date, bugs reminiscent of the first STALKER plagued the game, souring the gritty, atmospheric, open-world SCP-like adventure for most players.
Owing to its realistic graphics and high-res textures, the game requires about 140+ GB of storage to run. Hardcore fans probably won’t find the sacrificed disk space too much of an ask because, while the game has its problems, it has all the hallmarks of the original title in the series and the same appeal that made it a cult classic.
13
Forza Horizon 5
148.93 GB
Forza Horizon is the definitive open-world racing franchise, and it is also the one that cracks the 100 GB mark on PC. Bringing to life a fairly realistic version of Mexico, the fifth entry has everything going for it. The visuals are top-notch and probably the best in the genre, at least when it comes to open-world releases.
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As long as you like arcade-style controls, the gameplay is accessible and gloriously over-the-top, with some of the events being really absurd. Finally, Forza Horizon 5 is one of the better live-service options, which has kept it relevant for years.
12
Starfield
149.86 GB
Bethesda’s latest action RPG has garnered a primarily positive reception, and if it is anything like the studio’s other high-profile releases, Starfield has an active and bright future ahead of it. Using procedurally-generated technology, the sci-fi game features a huge selection of planets that players can visit and set up a base on.
There are also a couple of unique cities that players will need to visit to complete the main story and acquire most of the secondary content. Starfield‘s ambition can be seen in its download size, which reflects its scope. Visually, the game looks good, but it is not necessarily an all-timer.
11
Red Dead Redemption 2
150 GB
Following its announcement a while back and the massive success of its predecessors, the months leading up to the release of Red Dead Redemption 2 were filled with enthusiastic anticipation. It was eventually released in 2018 for various platforms and in November 2019 for Microsoft Windows.
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Though delayed for PC gamers, exploration of the game has been anything but boring. From engaging in shootouts with rival gangs to executing daring heists and enjoying scenic rides on horseback, Red Dead Redemption 2 offers everything the Wild West had to offer and more.
10
Horizon: Forbidden West
150 GB
The latest chapter in the Horizon series may have failed to capture the sense of wonder and amazement that its predecessor absolutely nailed, but that shouldn’t take away anything from this excellent game that features the same dense open world and combat that fans fell in love with. It helps that this game’s much-awaited port on PC was a major success.
Aloy’s journey is full of twists and turns, and it’s a shame that the writing couldn’t help this character shine even more. Still, the action-packed gameplay and fun exploration more than make this title worth going through, especially for players who loved what Guerrilla Games has crafted in this unique world.
