Nier: Automata Steam Update Pushes Install Size to 366GB

A small Steam update for Nier: Automata has pushed the game's required storage from about 50GB to 366GB. Square Enix says it is investigating and working on a fix.

The update added Korean, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese language options to the PC version of the action role-playing game. Eurogamer reported that the update is not optional, so players who own the game on Steam receive the larger download. Eurogamer reported the new figure as well.

GamesRadar tested the problem for itself. When it tried to reinstall the game through Steam, the storefront asked for 366.56GB of space. Automaton gave the same figure.

The likely cause is a bug. Reports say the bug made the downloadable content (DLC), which means extra packs sold alongside the main game, the same size as the base game itself. The new update then downloads those packs on top of the game, so the totals stack. IGN described the same fault as applying the whole base game to every DLC pack in the PC edition.

Square Enix confirmed the problem. It said the Steam version now shows that more storage is needed than expected after the latest update. The company said it is looking into the cause and working on a solution. It has not, in the reporting so far, given a date for the fix.

Until then, Square Enix has offered a workaround. Players can download only the base game by opening the game's properties in Steam, going to the DLC section and unchecking the DLC. That keeps the install to the base game's size, although the extra packs will not be included in that download.

For players with limited drive space, the timing matters. A game that once needed about 50GB now asks for more than seven times that amount on Steam. Anyone planning to install or reinstall the game should check the DLC settings before starting the download.