Botched Nier: Automata PC update inflates game file size from 50GB to 366GB
A routine localization patch for NieR: Automata has inadvertently turned the action RPG into a storage nightmare, demanding a staggering 366GB of free space for installation. This massive inflation in file size has left Steam users bewildered, as a game that typically requires roughly 50GB of storage suddenly asks for more than seven times that amount before the download can even begin.
The issue stems from an update published on November 5, 2026, which was intended to be a straightforward addition of localization support for Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. This marked the first Steam update for the title since July 2021, but instead of a seamless transition, players found that Steam refused to initiate the installation unless 366GB of free space was available. This is despite the game's official store page still listing a requirement of only 50GB.
The DLC Duplication Glitch
While Square Enix has officially confirmed the issue and stated they are currently investigating the cause, player reports suggest a more specific technical failure. According to these reports, the update appears to be incorrectly assigning the full size of the base game to each of the eight DLC packages bundled with the Game of the YoRHa Edition. This effectively forces Steam to pre-check for nine separate copies of a 40GB game, artificially inflating the initial storage requirement.
It is important to note that this 366GB figure is a requirement for the installation process rather than the actual footprint of the game on the drive. Reports indicate that once the game is successfully installed, the file size reverts to the appropriate 40GB to 50GB range. However, for many users with limited SSD capacity, the initial requirement acts as a hard wall, preventing the game from being installed at all.
To mitigate the problem, Square Enix issued a temporary workaround on November 6. They recommend that players navigate to the "Properties" menu for NieR: Automata in Steam, select the "DLC" tab, and uncheck every listed DLC item. By doing so, Steam will only download the base game at its intended size, allowing players to bypass the inflated storage check.
The bug has already triggered a wave of negative Steam reviews from frustrated users who found themselves unable to launch the game without clearing massive amounts of data from their drives. The absurdity of the requirement is highlighted by the fact that the 366GB figure exceeds the announced installation size of other massive modern titles, such as the 212GB requirement for GTA 6.
This anomaly serves as a stark reminder of the growing tension between game installation sizes and available hardware storage. While this specific instance was a bug, the industry has seen a steady climb in storage demands, with titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Black Ops Cold War already surpassing 200GB. As developers continue to push for higher fidelity, the risk of "SSD-choking" requirements—whether accidental or intentional—will likely become a more frequent point of contention for PC gamers.
