Highlights
Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield, two big RPGs, have massive download sizes due to their ambitious scale, making storage space a concern for players.
Starfield is anticipated to have a download size of 125GB, whereas Baldur's Gate 3 necessitates approximately 122GB. Consequently, players will require approximately 250GB of available storage to accommodate both games. PC players enjoy the advantage of being able to upgrade their storage, but console players, particularly those who own digital-only consoles, may encounter difficulties due to space limitations. This raises concerns regarding the future of the all-digital gaming industry.
Both Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield, two highly anticipated RPGs of the year, are being released in close proximity to each other. However, these games have a notable similarity: their massive download sizes, indicating their extensive scale. This poses a challenge for players who wish to own both games, as finding sufficient storage space on their hard drives can be a daunting task. The ever-growing file sizes of modern games, driven by ambitious endeavors, coupled with the trend of AAA games like Alan Wake 2 and Like a Dragon Gaiden being exclusively available in digital format, further exacerbates the scarcity of hard drive space. As a result, players will need to carefully consider which games they have installed on their systems or explore additional storage solutions.
Starfield and Baldur's Gate 3 Will Push Players' System Storage to Its Limits
Starfield has been hyped as a massive RPG, boasting over 1,000 planets for players to explore. As a result, it comes as no surprise that the game will require a significant amount of hard drive space for downloading and installation. According to Bethesda, the download size of Starfield will be 125GB, surpassing the standard size of their previous titles. Given the hefty file size, it is advisable for players to pre-load the game if they plan to play it on release day, as the download and installation process of 125GB may take a considerable amount of time.
Players who are already engaged in Baldur's Gate 3 might already be familiar with the challenge of handling such a large game. Steam recommends having at least 150GB of storage space available, although the actual download size amounts to around 122GB. This size is very close to the download size of Starfield, indicating that players would need approximately 250GB of free space on their system to have both games installed simultaneously. Considering that Baldur's Gate 3 is also an expansive game, with developer Larian suggesting that players might need to play it 18 times to fully experience everything it offers, the large file size is not unexpected.
While both games have large file sizes, only PC players currently need to consider storage space for both games. Baldur's Gate 3 is currently available on PC and will come to PS5 in September, but there is no confirmed release date for Xbox Series X/S. Larian has stated that Baldur's Gate 3 may take some time to come to Xbox due to technical limitations. Starfield will be an Xbox console exclusive with a PC version available at launch, meaning PS5 players will not have access to the game.
It is encouraging to see content-rich games being released, but the large file sizes pose challenges for systems with limited storage space. PC players can more easily upgrade their storage solutions, but even one 125GB game takes up considerable space on consoles like the PS5 or Xbox Series X. Digital-only consoles like the Xbox Series S or PS5 Digital Edition will be particularly affected by this trend, potentially raising concerns about the industry's push towards an all-digital future.
Starfield releases on September 6 on PC and Xbox Series X/S.
