For those who for one reason or another consider consoles a nuisance, computers is 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 are mass-produced that obliterate traditional game consoles in performance. PC gaming isn't all roses and sunshine though; one of the disadvantages is the massive size of gamemany of which must be downloaded, especially in the age of digital distribution.
Some of PC games with the largest file sizes can be a downright pain to run for players trying their best to make some space on their devices for these titles. As long as gamers are confident that they will have a great time playing the titles they choose, there's no denying that these games will be worth installing, even if the space they take up can sometimes be completely unexpected.
As sizes may vary by store, we will use the Xbox PC app if the game is available, as it will show the install size. If not, we will add the Steam save information.
Updated October 31, 2025 by Mark Sammut: We have updated PC file sizes for the included games, along with adding Forza Horizon 5 and adjusting much of the text. Galleries have also been added.
19
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
120 GB (but varies, as you can choose which game to install)
The announcement of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition was something that took old and new fans by storm. Commander Shepard's story is one of the most memorable in gaming, and getting the opportunity to explore it all over again with updated visuals was truly a treat.
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If it is a thing that Legendary Edition learned gamer is that texture packs can take up a lot of space. This collection may have all three games, but 120GB is still a huge install size for all titles.
18
Forbidden
121.73 GB
Square Enix has notoriously handled its Western IPs terribly, and Forbidden is probably the last game funded by this publisher after the developer's sale to the Embracer Group. This attempt at an isekai open-world title was plagued with many problems stemming from its gameplay and writing, leading to a hot mess of a title that ended up underperforming across the board.
The traversal system in this game might be a blast, but it just doesn't do enough to justify players having to go through boring story sequences and boring battles over and over again. Perhaps the biggest and most serious mistake this game has made is the fact that it takes up a whopping 150GB of space, which is simply ridiculous and shows how poorly optimized this game is, with the demands of this game not justifying the dull and uninteresting graphics.
17
Microsoft Flight Simulator
157 GB
It may 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 in the genre to date, with its keen attention to detail and focus on realism making it a great game overall.
The standard edition of the game comes with more than 20 types of aircraft for players to 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 50GB of available space on Steam.
16
Black Myth: Wukong
130 GB
Black Myth: Wukong took the world by storm upon release, breaking record after record for concurrent players on Steam within days of 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 definition textures and particle effects infused into every single frame of this Action RPG, it's a wonder that the developers, Game Science, managed to condense the package down to as little as 130GB at launch. It's one of those games that players only need to 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
Switches 5
10/10
- Released
-
September 10, 2019
Although not all Gears of War game is available on PC, the franchise has mostly taken off, and the upcoming E-day will be released on the platform. Unsurprisingly, a series known for its graphical prowess tends to have fairly large file sizes, with Gears of War 4 and Switches 5 both require more than 100 GB to install. Reloading and Tactics is a little more forgiving, but they're still huge games, considering one is a remaster and the other is part of the strategy genre.
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Do the games require such large sizes? Well, they look good, even after all these years, and the campaigns are relatively long. They also have multiplayer modes, so the packs contain a good amount of content.
14
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
146.33 GB
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl came out to mixed reviews. Despite the delayed release date, bugs reminiscent of the first one STALKER plagued the game and detracted from the gritty, atmospheric, SCP-esque open-world adventure for most players.
Due to its realistic graphics and high resolution textures, the game requires around 140+ GB of storage space to run. Hardcore fans probably won't find the sacrifice of disk space too much to ask as the game has its issues, but 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 series, and it's also the one to break the 100GB mark on PC. The fifth installment brings to life a fairly realistic version of Mexico and 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 game is accessible and delightfully over-the-top, with some of the events downright 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 received a primarily positive reception, and if it's anything like the studio's other high-profile releases, Starfield has an active and bright future ahead of him. Using procedurally generated technology, the sci-fi game has a large selection of planets for players to visit and set up a base on.
There are also a couple of unique cities that players will need to visit in order to complete the main story and acquire most of the secondary content. Starfields ambition can be seen in its download size, which reflects its scale. Visually, the game looks good, but it's not necessarily an all-timer.
11
Red Dead Redemption 2
150 GB
Following the announcement a while ago and the massive success of its predecessor, 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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Although delayed for PC gamers, exploring the game has been anything but boring. From engaging in shootouts with rival gangs to pulling off daring heists and enjoying scenic horseback rides, Red Dead Redemption 2 offers everything the Wild West had to offer and more.
10
Horizon: Forbidden West
150 GB
The latest chapter in Horizon the series may have failed to capture the sense of wonder and amazement that its predecessors absolutely nailed, but that shouldn't take anything away from this excellent game that has the same dense open world and combat that fans fell in love with. It helps that the game's much-anticipated port on PC was a huge success.
Aloy's journey is full of twists and turns, and it's a shame 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 created in this unique world.
