Typically when pre-loading a game, you need some extra storage space free for the game to unpack on launch day. However, Phantom Blade Zero is taking this concept to another level, requiring that buyers have 300GB of space free, double the game’s actual install size.
Pre-loading is now live for Phantom Blade Zero ahead of its release tomorrow on PC and PS5. In a Steam blog post, the developers warned that PC buyers will want 300GB of free space on their SSD to install the game, due to “temporary files” that will disappear once the game is properly installed on October 29th.
“The game requires approximately 145GB of storage. Before preloading, make sure you have at least 300GB of free space on the installation drive, as temporary files and the complete game files must coexist during the unlock process. Once the process is complete, storage usage will drop to approximately 145GB. If a download, installation, or update fails due to insufficient space or a similar issue, free up the required space and try downloading the game again.”
It isn’t exactly a great time for developers to be requiring even larger storage requirements from gamers, as there has been a global SSD shortage over the past year due to growing demand from datacentres, leaving fewer options for consumers and causing prices to skyrocket.
KitGuru Says: It is pretty common to need some extra space beyond the game’s actual file size when pre-loading, but I’ve never seen a situation quite like this. Honestly, you might be better off not pre-loading at all and just downloading the game after launch to avoid this.
