Is Elden Ring 150GB? No, It‘s Currently Around 50GB

Let‘s settle this question that may have some gamers worried their hard drives are too small. Elden Ring clocks in way under 150GB – the actual install size is approximately 50GB depending on your platform. This covers the base game only at launch, without accounting for future DLC expansions.

So where does that huge 150GB number come from? It likely refers to the recommended free disk space to download, install, patch and comfortably run Elden Ring. We‘ll break down the install size in more detail below:

A Granular Look at Elden Ring‘s Footprint Across Platforms

Here is the current Elden Ring install size including day one patch data, as officially reported by the game‘s publisher Bandai Namco:

Note: These figures could expand slightly with future patches and DLC content updates.

You may notice PS5 has the smallest install footprint at 44.5GB. This highlights how Sony‘s custom SSD and Kraken data compression allow games to take up less space than on Xbox or PC.

Now let‘s compare Elden Ring‘s install to some other large open world titles across platforms:

As you can see, Elden Ring is reasonably sized given its expansive world, when compared to other cross-platform blockbusters. It is density over sheer scale.

And here is how Elden Ring stacks up against FromSoftware‘s past Soulsborne games:

Recommended Hard Drive Space vs. Install Size

So where does that 150GB recommendation come from? On PC, the suggested free hard drive space is 60GB according to system requirements.

This accounts for temporary installer files, game data that may unpack during play, future patches, save games, and breathing room in general.

Some players may have seen this 60GB disk space requirement for PC and misinterpreted that as the download size rather than recommended spare capacity once installed.

Consoles require about 10GB less free space since their operating environments allow tighter install footprints.

Elden Ring‘s Vast World Pushes Boundaries Without Breaking Hard Drives

While not setting record install sizes, Elden Ring still represents a massive achievement in world building and content density.

Let‘s look at some key stats that quantify just how huge yet seamlessly packed this realm is compared to past FromSoftware titles:

*For main story completion

As you can see, Elden Ring dwarfs the scale of Sekiro while matching the depth and hours of enjoyment. This makes it a staggering achievement in open world crafting that still fits comfortably on modern hard drives.

Post-Launch Support and DLC May Expand Install Size

While quite large on day one, expect Elden Ring‘s install footprint to widen a bit with:

✔️ Ongoing patches fixing bugs, balancing, exploits etc.
✔️ Eventual paid DLC content drops adding new areas gear, bosses etc.

However, estimations point to a complete "Game of the Year" edition still fitting under 100GB based on the update history of past FromSoftware titles.

So that should ease worries about mammoth Call of Duty-scale gigabyte bloat as Elden Ring evolves!

In Summary: Still a Landmark Title Without Breaking Hard Drives

Elden Ring delivers FromSoftware’s long-awaited open world opus without the extreme 150GB+ install size some players feared. Expansive yet dense, richly detailed while technically streamlined – it‘s a masterclass in efficient worldbuilding.

While current-gen updates may widen its footprint over time, Elden Ring cracks no hard drive space records upon launch. Savour its seamless realms without storage size anxiety!

So in short: no, Elden Ring does not demand a beastly 150GB at release. Its 50GB install belies a completion time and content scale rivaling any modern mega-production. This refusal to bloat while achieving new heights of environmental storytelling personifies FromSoftware’s technical and artistic prowess at the height of their powers!