PC players of Helldivers 2 will soon need far less storage space, as developer Arrowhead Game Studios has confirmed that the game's smaller beta build will officially replace the current PC client later this month. The change follows weeks of testing and feedback from players after a recent update.
At the moment, Helldivers 2 offers two different PC clients. The standard version takes up a massive 154 GB of storage, which Arrowhead originally said was necessary to ensure the game could still run on traditional hard disk drives. In comparison, the console versions of Helldivers 2 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S only require around 25 GB.
To address concerns about the game's large size, Arrowhead released a slimmed-down beta client in December 2025, reducing the game's storage requirement to a size closer to the console versions.
Slimmed-Down PC Client Becomes the New Standard
After several months of testing, Arrowhead has decided to make the smaller build the official PC version. According to Arrowhead community manager Mitchell “Miitchimus” Ayre, the 23 GB beta client will replace the current 154 GB legacy version when the game's next update launches on Tuesday, March 17.
Ayre shared the news on the official Helldivers 2 Discord server, explaining that the decision was made after extensive feedback from both new and returning players. As part of the transition, the older legacy build will be removed from Steam once the update goes live.
Arrowhead also noted that the difference in loading times between the legacy version and the smaller build has been minimal. Because of this, the studio feels confident making the 23 GB version the standard moving forward.
Much of the data used to evaluate the beta client came from player feedback during February 2026’s “Machinery of Oppression” update, which saw players battling Automatons on their home planet of Cyberstan. Although the Cyberstan campaign has already concluded, Arrowhead said the testing provided enough information to confirm that the smaller client still delivers a great gameplay experience.
While details about the upcoming March 17 patch remain unclear, the studio thanked the community for helping test the new version.
Players Can Switch to the Smaller Version Now
PC players don’t have to wait until the update to free up storage space. Those who want to use the slim client immediately can opt into the beta through Steam.
To do this, players should open Helldivers 2 in their Steam library, select Properties, and navigate to the Game Versions or Betas tab. From there, selecting the “prod_slim” option will begin downloading the new 23 GB build.
Download times will vary depending on internet speeds. While the game will still run on a traditional hard drive after the March 17 update, Arrowhead recommends installing it on a solid-state drive (SSD) for better performance.
With SSD and RAM prices currently rising due to the ongoing DRAM shortage, the reduced storage requirement could help players run Helldivers 2 on smaller drives and potentially save money.
Anniversary Cape Available for Players
In other news, players who logged into Helldivers 2 during February have already received a special cosmetic reward. On March 2, Arrowhead distributed the Eye of Liberty cape to celebrate the game's second anniversary.
The cape features a gold-colored version of the Eye of Freedom, which was originally released during the game's first anniversary in 2025.
With another update arriving soon, fans will be watching closely to see what Arrowhead has planned next for Helldivers 2.
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