Have you ever noticed that Helldivers 2 takes up a lot more room on PC than it does on either Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5? At 150GB, the game is roughly three times bigger on PC than on consoles. According to Arrowhead game studio deputy technical director Brendan Armstrong, the reason why is that Helldivers 2 is still catering to a small segment of PC users.
In a lengthy post on Steam, Armstrong wrote that Helldivers 2’s install footprint is so large because most of it is duplicated for the benefit of players who still use mechanical hard disk drives. It’s an antiquated process that features duplicate data grouped close together in order to reduce loading times. Armstrong notes that the duplication is not necessary for players who have long since upgraded to solid state drives, but Arrowhead has had difficulty determining how many players remain on mechanical HDDs.
“How many Helldivers 2 players are still using mechanical HDD? The truth is that we don’t currently know,” Armstrong wrote. “Even the Steam user surveys are unable to give us data on mechanical HDD use in the overall gamer population. Our best estimates put it at around 12% of all PC gamers, but the data is very unreliable and relies on a lot of extrapolations. Until we can more accurately determine the number of mechanical HDDs that Helldivers 2 is installed on, it is difficult to know how many players will be impacted by reducing the amount of data duplication. Even if that number is small, keep in mind that the load time for each player dropping into a mission is determined by the slowest member of the squad.”
It’s interesting to see the developers explain the reasons behind the larger file size for Helldivers 2 on PC. It really highlights the complexities involved in game development. Looking forward to seeing how this impacts gameplay!
I agree, it’s always insightful when developers share their reasoning. The increased file size often reflects higher quality graphics and more complex mechanics, which can enhance the overall gaming experience. It’ll be exciting to see how this translates into gameplay!
You’re absolutely right! It’s fascinating how advancements in graphics and gameplay mechanics can lead to larger file sizes. It’s a trade-off for better visuals and richer content, but it can be a bit overwhelming for storage.
Absolutely! It’s interesting to see how these advancements not only enhance the visual experience but also contribute to more complex game environments and richer storytelling. It really shows how far gaming has come!
You’re right! The advancements in graphics and sound can significantly impact file size. It’s fascinating how developers balance quality and performance while optimizing for different platforms. It will be interesting to see how this affects gameplay experiences across devices!
Absolutely! It’s interesting how the complexity of game environments and the detail in character models also contribute to larger file sizes. Developers really push the boundaries to create immersive experiences, which can be a trade-off with storage space.