Nixxes nukes Helldivers 2 PC install size with “slim” update
Nixxes has helped make Helldivers 2’s PC version 85% smaller
Nixxes has taken a tactical nuke and launched it at Helldivers 2’s insane PC install size. On PC, the game currently takes up a staggering 154GB of storage. That’s almost an order of magnitude higher than the game’s console versions. Now, a new “slim” update is available to early testers, reducing the game’s install size by 131GB.
Helldivers 2’s new “Slim” update removes data duplication, reducing the game’s storage requirements by 85%. Right now, much of Helldivers 2’s data on PC is duplicated several times. This tactic is used to speed up loading times on HDDs, allowing read heads to access data faster. This duplicated data doesn’t help SSD users, since they don’t face this mechanical limitation.
Given the fact that most PC gamers now use SSD storage, many are angered by Helldivers 2’s install size. Soon, those gamers will be appeased. Following a public wave of testing, the game’s new “slim” version will become available to everyone by default. Nixxes helped Arrowhead develop this new PC update for Helldivers 2. This accelerated the release of this update.
What about HDD users?
If you own an HDD, you need not worry. Helldivers 2’s new “slim” update doesn’t dramatically increase loading times. Mission loading times are only increased by “a few seconds in the worst cases”. For SSD users, loading times have not changed. Since only 11% of Helldivers 2 players use HDDs, this trade-off is acceptable. Giving almost 90% of players 131GB of extra SSD space is a welcome change. Furthermore, the game’s new 23GB install size will make game downloads much faster.
PC Installation Size Update
We have followed through on our plans and made small reductions in the PC installation size over the last few patches while still adding new content. While this was a good start, our short term fixes have not been enough to keep up with all of the new content in the latest patch. The longer term goal has always been to bring the PC installation size much closer in line with the console versions. We are happy to report that, thanks to our partners at Nixxes, we have reached that goal much sooner than expected. By completely de-duplicating our data, we were able to reduce the PC installation size from ~154GB to ~23GB, for a total saving of ~131GB (~85%). We have completed several rounds of internal QA and are ready to roll this out to early adopters as a public technical beta. Our testing shows that for the small percentage of players still using mechanical hard disk drives, mission loading times have only increased by a few seconds in the worst cases. This is live NOW!
Only a few seconds difference?
Further good news: the change in the file size will result in minimal changes to load times – seconds at most. “Wait a minute,” I hear you ask – “didn’t you just tell us all that you duplicate data because the loading times on HDDs could be 10 times worse?”. I am pleased to say that our worst case projections did not come to pass. These loading time projections were based on industry data – comparing the loading times between SSD and HDD users where data duplication was and was not used. In the worst cases, a 5x difference was reported between instances that used duplication and those that did not. We were being very conservative and doubled that projection again to account for unknown unknowns.
Now things are different. We have real measurements specific to our game instead of industry data. We now know that the true number of players actively playing HD2 on a mechanical HDD was around 11% during the last week (seems our estimates were not so bad after all). 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 happens in parallel with loading assets from the disk and so is the main determining factor of the loading time. We now know that this is true even for users with mechanical HDDs.
The new “slim” update should be available to all PC gamers soon
Right now, PC gamers can opt in to Helldivers 2’s “slim” update on Steam. When the update passes validation, it will become the default version of Helldivers 2. However, for a limited time, HDD users will be able to “opt-in” to the game’s legacy (large) version. Long term, the game’s old “fat” version will be discontinued.
You can join the discussion on Helldiver’s 2’s 85% install size reduction on the OC3D Forums.
