Uncovering the Mystery: Why Your Games Consume More Storage Than Anticipated (Even After Uninstallation)

Back when the original Tomb Raider was released on PC, it required roughly 100MB of storage. In contrast, the current installment, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, demands around 40GB. This represents an astonishing increase in storage needs, and many contemporary games reflect a similar trend. Unfortunately, uninstalling a game to clear up space doesn’t always remove all its data.

So, what accounts for the large size of modern games? Let’s explore some reasons.

Every game listed on a digital platform specifies its storage requirements, which is crucial for players. Moreover, a new hard drive might show less available space than advertised, making every megabyte critical to consumers. However, the stated size usually reflects only the base game. Additional downloads like patches, DLC, and extra content will take up more space, and platforms like Steam combine DLC with the main game for storage purposes.

It’s important to factor in day-one patches as well. In recent years, numerous games have been launched in a basic form, requiring substantial additional downloads right at release. On consoles, which often have limited space, this can be problematic. For instance, Fallout 76 required a hefty 54GB day-one update on top of its 45GB base file. Similarly, The Division 2 needed up to 52GB for its first update. On systems like PS5 or Xbox Series X, this can drastically consume storage before any gameplay even begins.

Even fully launched games continue to evolve. Developers regularly issue patches over months or years aimed at fixing glitches, balancing multiplayer, enhancing performance, or adapting to new technology. While each update might seem minor individually, over time they accumulate, and some patches increase the size of existing files rather than merely adjusting them. Additionally, platforms like Steam require more available space than the update itself when applying patches, as they often build new versions before deleting old data.

Then there are additional components unrelated to gameplay. Language packs, for example, may add entire duplicated versions of a game’s audio. Developers make these optional through specific downloads on platforms like Steam, but you might find yourself with languages you’ll never use occupying space on your storage. Altogether, the actual size of a game on your system can significantly exceed the figure presented on its storefront.

Moreover, some significant space consumers don’t even appear on the game’s store page. Screenshots and recorded moments can add up without realization, especially on consoles. For example, in games like Astro Bot, every trophy earned prompts the PS5 to save a screenshot along with a short video, leading to an accumulation of high-definition clips players might never know are stored. These captures can be managed through the console’s settings.

On the PC side, Steam can download pre-compiled shaders for smoother performance and stores them in a specific folder. Windows also maintains its own DirectX shader cache, which can contribute to increasing storage usage. While Valve states that their updates are intended to be compact, some users notice significant growth in those folders.

When a game is uninstalled via Steam, its core files are removed, but other generated data often remains. Save files and preferences might linger in folders like Documents, My Games, or AppData, and the shader cache might still reside in the game’s designated folder. Unneeded mods, crash logs, and empty directories can also persist.

This happens because Steam only monitors what it installs directly. Any data the game created in other parts of your system stays unaccounted for by its uninstaller. Meanwhile, saving progress is left intact intentionally for potential future reinstalls. Cleaning up this excess data typically falls to the user and begins with identifying what consumes storage in Windows.

To optimize space, check if the game supports Steam Cloud or save your game files manually before deleting unnecessary data. It’s safe to clear the shader cache for unplayed games since they’ll regenerate that cache upon the next launch. Windows’ DirectX Shader Cache can be accessed through the settings, and old screenshots can be removed from Steam’s folders. On the PS5, clips can be found in the Media Gallery.

Looking ahead, such storage concerns are unlikely to diminish. For instance, Grand Theft Auto VI is rumored to require an eye-watering 210GB—an estimate not yet confirmed by the developer—creating worry for players with limited console space, especially with the PS5 offering around 667GB of usable storage. This trend towards larger games is becoming a hallmark of the industry.