How many GB is God of War Ragnarok PS5 update?

For those eagerly awaiting the next chapter in Kratos‘ saga on PS5, you‘ll need to carve out a good chunk of hard drive space. Ragnarok‘s initial install on PlayStation 5 rings in at a hefty 80GB.

That‘s almost double the size of 2018‘s acclaimed God of War reboot, which launched at 45GB. But with vastly expanded environments and next-gen graphical updates, the install inflation comes as no shock.

Day One Patch – Just Bug Squashing or More?

Alongside the core game download, there‘s a release day patch rounding out at 745MB. Peering at the official patch notes, it‘s clear the focus is on stability and bug fixes rather than new content.

God of War Ragnarök PS5 : 80.008 GB pic.twitter.com/ly2Leu0gx8

— PlayStation Game Size (@PlaystationSize) October 26, 2022

Over 170 fixes tackle rare crashes, graphical hitches, and finicky gameplay triggers that slipped through testing. Essential quality-of-life upgrades also improve accessibility and UI navigation.

As a hardcore fan, it‘s a relief to see Sony Santa Monica tackling even obscure issues to ensure absolute stability. Nothing worse than an epic boss fight interrupted by an immersion breaking glitch!

But could more substantial changes come later? Looking at other flagship PS5 titles, additional content via DLC and next-gen boosting patches is likely. As an example, sony upgraded Ghost of Tsushima with a meaty co-op expansion and PS5 specific enhancements via a paid upgrade.

PS4 Version Trumps PS5 Install Size

Those still gaming on a trusty PS4 aren‘t spared from Ragnarok‘s storage hungry appetite. Likely due to larger audio and texture assets to compensate for weaker hardware, the PS4 version tips the scales at 90GB initially and over 100GB fully updated.

The same 745MB day one patch applies, focused strictly on stability and optimization. My bet – more substantial next-gen improvements will come later if you upgrade to PS5 down the road!

Install Sizes Regional Breakdown

Depending on region and platform, the install size ranges from 80GB-107GB. Here‘s a breakdown for both disk and digital editions:

So if you‘re rocking a PS5, I‘d recommend carving out at least 100GB to be safe for future patches. PS4 players should have 150GB+ ready to greet the Norse realms!

Ragnarok‘s Massive Leap in Size

Doubling in file size from its last outing, what exactly accounts for Ragnarok‘s newfound heft?

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A bump to 4K textures, revamped character models, vastly larger explorable spaces, and improved lighting all contribute. Epic set piece moments and cinematic gameplay all require more data real estate!

An analogy for fans – remember the scope leap from God of War 1 to God of War 2 on PS2? Ragnarok feels similarly exponential thanks to PS5 hardware removing all restraints.

I‘d argue the payoff warrants the SSD sacrifice – Ragnarok already secured a rare perfect 10/10 score in PushSquare‘s glowing review:

This is a very special game indeed. An emotional rollercoaster filled with eyepopping visuals and exceptionally cinematic presentation. Sony Santa Monica knocks it out of the park.

Few trailers or screenshots fully express Ragnarok‘s sense of scale and jaw dropping visual flourishes. You need to experience it firsthand to believe it!

Final Verdict – Well Worth Making Room For

At the end of the day, we‘re looking at a ~80GB initial install for God of War Ragnarok on PS5. The subsequent 745MB day one patch focuses on polish over new content.

Down the road, larger updates could introduce DLC expansions or PS5 specific enhancements as Sony did for past titles. But Ragnarok already sets a new bar for technical and creative achievement even pre-patch.

For the definitive Norse saga sendoff for Kratos and Atreus, what‘s 80GB between friends? I‘ve already cleared 200GB off my SSD in anticipation. TheNine Realms await, and I hear they‘re bigger than ever before!