A new Call of Duty is almost here (in fact, it’s available today for those with early access) and it has led to yet another discussion about the franchise’s bloated file sizes. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III certainly won’t be sparing your SSD, as on PS5 it requires the 89 GB “Call of Duty HQ,” a base download needed to run both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Modern Warfare III. In order to play the MWIII campaign, you then have to download another pair of content packs, totalling another 51 GB. So, just to play the campaign you’ll need to have 140 GB clear. Ah, but if you want the full 2023 Call of Duty experience, including campaign + multiplayer + Zombies + Warzone, you’re going to need just shy of 235 GB free. Meanwhile, on PC, the full CoD slate looks to take up around 213 GB.
🚨 Call Of Duty Modern Warfare IIl
- HQ, Version 1.30 (01.030.000)
PS4 : 73.129 GB (Update Size : 7.269 GB)
PS5 : 89.019 GB (Update Size : 5.865 GB)- Campaign (Pack 1+2)
- Pre-Load Now Available
- Launch : November 2PS4 : 35.097 GB
PS5 : 50.984 GB- MP/Zombie
- Pre-Load… pic.twitter.com/VryfjDYhn7— PlayStation Game Size (@PlaystationSize) November 1, 2023
Perhaps anticipating complaints about Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III file sizes, the official CoD X account made a post that chalks up the hefty storage requirements to “the increased amount of content available” at the game’s launch.
“[Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III] is almost here. In preparation, we would like to provide an update on file sizes which are larger than last year. This is due to the increased amount of content available Day 1, including open world Zombies, support for item carry forward from #MW2, as well as map files for current Call of Duty: Warzone.”
This explanation doesn’t exactly ring true, as it’s not Zombies inflating CoD: Modern Warfare III’s file size, and I have a feeling it’s not gun skins either. As has been the case for a few years now, Call of Duty players can install and delete specific parts of the experience as they see fit, which is a nice feature, but it seems like it’s being used as an excuse for not optimizing file sizes. There’s no justifiable reason why a Call of Duty campaign, in all their linear, 5-hour-long glory, needs to be 140 GB.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III officially launches on PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, and PS5 on November 10, although as mentioned, those who pre-ordered can jump into the campaign as of today.