Horizon Forbidden West fans are almost done waiting for the highly anticipated sequel, as the game is less than a month away from launch. However, it will require a fair bit of space on PS5 consoles, so those looking forward to Horizon Forbidden West may want to make some room for the game ahead of time.
Horizon Zero Dawn, the first game in the series, was around 43 GB, which made it a fairly large download. This size was understandable, though, as the game’s open world and the machines that inhabited it were extremely impressive visually. However, Horizon Zero Dawn's sequel is aiming to outdo its predecessor when it comes to its visuals and the amount of content within its open world, meaning that it was expected to be larger. Still, players may be shocked by how much bigger the game actually is.
Horizon Forbidden West fans in the US will be looking at a staggering 85.913 GB download, making the game twice as big as the original in terms of file size. EU users will be looking at a 96.350 GB file size, with the increase likely coming from the many languages included in this version of the game. Currently, specifics on the Japanese file size are unavailable. Based on these details, the game will clearly be massive, and many are going to need to make some space on their consoles.
For those wondering how other PlayStation exclusives stack up to Horizon Forbidden West, Demon’s Souls started at 66 GB and Spider-Man: Miles Morales launched with a 50 GB file size on PS5. Returnal was around 56 GB, while Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart boasted a small file size of 33 GB. Horizon Forbidden West being significantly larger than all these other PlayStation exclusives is a good sign for those planning to spend a significant amount of time with the game, as it seems like there will be plenty to do in the sequel’s machine-filled world.
For those wondering where this large file size is coming from, and why Horizon Forbidden West is twice as big as its predecessor, Guerrilla Games has shared details that help explain this noticeable increase. Horizon Forbidden West’s settlements, for example, are filled with life and character models. The game’s underwater sections also add a new lineup of locations and machines for Aloy to explore, while the board game Strike will essentially add a detailed mini game like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s Gwent. All of this, coupled with improved character models and environments, has led to a massive game.
It will be interesting to see if the PS4 file size for Horizon Forbidden West is larger or smaller, as it could go either way. For PlayStation 5 users, though, around 86 GB of free space will be a necessity.
Horizon: Forbidden West launches on PS4 and PS5 on February 18.
