Holy cow, Stalker 2 needs 150GB of SSD space, and you've got 9 days to figure out where you're going to put it

Stalker 2 images.
(Image credit: GSC Game World)
Recent updates

Update (November 12): They updated the system requirements and it turns out that Stalker 2 actually needs even more space than reported in this article.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is out in just over a week, which makes this a good time to remind all you eager Zone hunters out there that if you're hurting for storage space, it might finally be time for a new (and, more to the point, bigger) SSD.

GSC Game World's latest is going to eat up a whopping 150GB of storage space, a big-gig number we were first slapped in the face with when Stalker 2's PC system requirements were originally revealed. But that was more than three years ago, before Russia's unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine threw the country into turmoil and forced multiple delays.

But the developers persevered, and now it's really happening: Stalker 2 has gone gold, and that means you're either going to have to make some space or finally spring for a decently sized SSD. And yes, an SSD, not an old spinning disk: If you're anything like me you might have oodles of free hard drive space kicking around, but you've also discovered that once you've enjoyed the luxurious speed of an SSD, well, there's no going back.

If you find yourself in need of a new drive to manage your Ukrainian adventure, you are in the right place: We've got a detailed rundown of the best SSDs for gaming, and if budget is a concern we've got that base covered too, with multiple 1TB options for well under $100. We're also keeping an eye on Black Friday, which is now bearing down on us like a freight train full of deals and labor abuses.

Regardless of whether you need to throw some money at the problem or just uninstall a few games you haven't touched since 2022 (perhaps it's finally time to bid farewell to Elden Ring?), you may now consider yourselves warned: Stalker 2 needs room. Govern your PCs accordingly.

Since it's been three years, here's a refresher on the full Stalker 2 system requirements, which for the record have not changed between then and now (yes, I checked):

Stalker 2 minimum requirements

  • OS: Windows 10
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X | Intel Core i5-7600K
  • Memory: 8GB RAM
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
  • Storage: 150GB (holy cow)
  • Additional notes: SSD
  • OS: Windows 10
  • Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X | Intel Core i7-9700K
  • Memory: 16GB RAM
  • Graphics: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB
  • Storage: 150GB (seriously, holy cow)
  • Additional notes: SSD
Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

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