Nier: Automata Update Swells Game Size from 50GB to 366GB

A Localization Patch, Six Times the Size

Released in 2017, Nier: Automata received an update this week that adds Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean support. Those language options are the headline feature, and they close a gap that persisted for years after the game’s original launch. But the update also changes the install size in a dramatic way: the total game folder now takes up 366GB, whereas the previous install was about 50GB. The game has eight DLC packs. Each DLC that a player installs adds roughly 40GB to the total. That 40GB figure is essentially the size of the base game, which means every single DLC appears to contain a full copy of the core game files. The language files themselves are small; the bloat comes from duplicated data, not from new content.

The Arithmetic of the Bloat

If the base game is 50GB and each of the eight DLCs adds 40GB, the theoretical total would be 50 + (8 × 40) = 370GB. The reported 366GB is close to that number, with minor differences likely from file compression or rounding. This simple calculation underlines the scale of the problem: instead of eight small add-ons, players are effectively downloading eight copies of the main game. On a 512GB SSD, 366GB consumes more than 70% of the drive before the operating system or any other files are considered. Even on a 1TB drive, this single title would take up more than a third of the total capacity. For users with limited free space, the update can fail mid-download or fill the disk to the point where the system becomes unstable.

What Players Should Do

The new language support is most valuable to players in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Korea, but those same players now face a difficult decision. Installing the update means accepting a massive footprint, while skipping it means continuing to play with older language options or none at all. The material does not mention a rollback option or a way to install only the language files while avoiding the DLC duplication. The safest course is to wait for the developer to release a corrected packaging. Players who have not yet downloaded the update should disable automatic updates for the title or keep an eye on patch notes. Those who already have the 366GB version installed may want to check whether removing individual DLCs reduces the size, though the material does not confirm whether uninstalling a DLC removes the duplicated base files or leaves them behind.

A Packaging Error with a Clear Lesson

Standard DLC distribution relies on referencing base game assets instead of duplicating them. A small add-on that only adds a few quests or items should measure a few hundred megabytes to a couple of gigabytes. When every DLC carries 40GB matching the main game, the most plausible explanation is a packaging script mistake introduced during the localization build. The update shipped with this issue, which suggests that the release pipeline did not include a final size check or that such a check was ignored. A sixfold increase in install size from a language support update is an extreme case, but it illustrates why distribution pipelines need automated size regression tests. For now, the practical response is to hold off on updating and watch for a revised patch that restores the game’s original footprint.