How to Reduce Helldivers 2 File Size on Steam? Step-By-Step Guide

Helldivers 2's file size has been reduced by 85% on Steam, and here's everything you need to do to jump into the slim version of Super Earth.

Helldivers 2’s PC version received a massive update on Steam, which ironically reduced the file size by 131GB, from 154GB to 23GB, an impressive feat. Since this size reduction is in beta, players should be aware of how to download the 23GB version. So, here’s a step-by-step guide on reducing the Helldivers 2 file size on Steam.

Step-By-Step Guide to Reduce Helldivers 2’s File Size on Steam

To reduce the file size of Helldivers 2 on Steam from 154GB to 23GB and test the slim version of the game, follow the steps below:

• Right-click on Helldivers 2 in your Steam Library.
• Click on ‘Properties’.
• Select ‘Betas’ on the left side to open the Betas tab.
• Click on the ‘Beta Participation’ drop-down list and select “prod_slim” (the slim version)
• Helldivers 2 in your library will be updated to the slim version (23GB).

That’s all you need to do to reduce the file size of Helldivers 2 from 154GB to 23GB on Steam. The file size reduction is currently in public beta, but it will become the main version of the game in the future, and support for the legacy version will conclude.

However, if you want to return to the previous version, you can select “None” from the ‘Beta Participation’ drop-down list. Arrowhead has confirmed on Steam that players will be able to play the legacy version by choosing “prod_legacy” in the ‘Beta Participation’ list to uncover issues for a limited time after the slim version becomes the default version on Steam

Additionally, Arrowhead has issued a warning to modders about the potential for breaking the game if mods are installed when a new patch is rolled out. They recommend players without any mods installed to participate in the beta test, while encouraging modders to wait for the slim version to become the main one on Steam.

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How Did Arrowhead Reduce the File Size of Helldivers 2 on Steam?

Arrowhead optimised the download size of Helldivers 2 by using a method called de-duplication, which essentially refers to a process by which redundant copies of data are removed to reduce storage space and significantly improve efficiency. The best part is that this has a negligible effect on HDDs, and those who play the game via their hard drive will see a tiny increase in mission load times.

Despite the significant size reduction, the spread of Managed Democracy remains the same on HDDs and SSDs. So players holding off on installing Helldivers 2 on Steam because of its massive size can rest easy. This impressive reduction of 85% was possible due to Arrowhead’s partnership with Nixxes and the de-duplication method.

Nothing is missing in the slim version of Helldivers 2 on Steam. You can dive into Super Earth as you did previously in the legacy version. Arrowhead has also encouraged players to report any issues present in the slim version, so they can be omitted once the reduced file size is finally out of beta and the slim becomes the default version on Steam.

So, have you participated in the slim version beta test yet? Share your thoughts and opinions on the Helldivers 2 file size reduction in the comment section below.