Key Takeaways
- NieR: Automata has received a new Steam update adding Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese language support.
- A bug has increased the game’s reported installation storage requirement from around 50GB to approximately 366.56GB.
- The issue appears to involve Steam incorrectly counting the base game’s storage requirements across multiple DLC packages.
- Square Enix has acknowledged the problem, apologized to players, and confirmed that a fix is being investigated.
- Players can temporarily install the base game by going to Steam Properties, opening the DLC tab, and unchecking the additional content.
NieR: Automata has received a new update on Steam, but what should have been a welcome improvement has turned into a pretty ridiculous situation for PC players. The latest patch adds support for Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese, giving more players the opportunity to experience the action RPG in their preferred language.
Unfortunately, the update has also caused a major storage issue. Players attempting to install the game through Steam are now being told that they need approximately 366GB of available space, compared to the roughly 50GB previously required. That’s an enormous increase for an update that primarily adds language support.
Things became even more frustrating when players noticed that the update was affecting the storage requirements of the game’s DLC packages as well. Instead of simply downloading the additional language files, Steam appears to be calculating the storage requirement of the base game multiple times when the DLC is selected.
Thankfully, Square Enix has acknowledged the problem and provided a temporary workaround. The publisher says it is investigating the cause and working toward a permanent solution, but players who want to install the game right now can avoid the inflated requirement by temporarily disabling the DLC through Steam’s settings.
NieR: Automata Steam Update Increases Storage Requirement to 366GB
The latest NieR: Automata update was released on November 5–6, 2026, bringing three additional language options to the PC version. According to the official Steam update notes, players can now access the game with Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Korean support.
These additions are certainly welcome, particularly for players who have been waiting for more language options. However, the update has introduced a problem that nobody could have reasonably expected.
Steam now displays a storage requirement of approximately 366.56GB when players attempt to install the game with all its DLC selected. Considering that the game’s previously listed storage requirement was around 50GB, the difference is difficult to ignore.
The strange part is that the update does not introduce hundreds of gigabytes of new content. Its listed changes are focused on additional language support, making the sudden increase in storage requirements even more confusing.
The game’s DLC packages appear to be at the centre of the issue. Reports from players and PC gaming outlets indicate that each of the eight DLC entries is being assigned a storage requirement similar to that of the main game. When Steam adds those requirements together, the total climbs to more than 360GB.
In other words, the issue appears to be related to how Steam is calculating the installation requirements rather than a deliberate expansion of the game’s content. Square Enix has not yet confirmed the precise technical cause, though.
Square Enix Acknowledges the 366GB NieR: Automata Bug
Following complaints from players, Square Enix has responded through the official Japanese NieR social media account. The publisher confirmed that it is aware of the excessive storage requirement appearing during installation of the updated Steam version.
The company also apologized for the inconvenience and explained that its team is investigating the cause while working on a solution.
Square Enix stated that the installation process is displaying a storage requirement higher than intended following the latest update. Rather than asking players to wait for a permanent fix, the company has also shared a temporary workaround that allows the base game to be downloaded without selecting the affected DLC packages.
This is useful news for anyone who has been planning to reinstall NieR: Automata but does not have hundreds of gigabytes of available storage. The workaround does not require players to delete large portions of their existing game library or purchase additional storage just to install the RPG.
Players can find the announcement through the official NieR Japanese X account.
How to Fix the NieR: Automata 366GB Steam Installation Problem
Square Enix’s temporary solution is relatively simple. Players need to disable the game’s DLC through Steam before starting the installation process. This allows the base version of NieR: Automata to download without Steam adding the inflated storage requirements of the additional content.
Follow these steps to install the game:
- Open Steam and navigate to your Library.
- Find NieR: Automata in your game collection.
- Right-click the game and select Properties.
- Open the DLC section from the left-hand menu.
- Uncheck the boxes next to the available DLC packages.
- Close the Properties window and begin downloading the base game.
With the additional content disabled, Steam should allow players to download the base game using its intended storage requirement rather than the inflated 366GB figure.
There is one important limitation: this is a temporary installation workaround, not a permanent fix for the underlying problem. Square Enix has not yet announced when the corrected update will be available.
Players who want the complete game with all its additional content should keep an eye on future announcements from Square Enix. The publisher’s current recommendation is to download the base game without the DLC while its developers investigate the issue.
NieR: Automata’s DLC Appears to Be Behind the Huge Storage Increase
One of the strangest aspects of this situation is how the game’s additional content is being handled by Steam. NieR: Automata has several DLC packages, including the 3C3C1D119440927 expansion, character accessories, Pod skins, and the Game of the YoRHa Edition Wallpaper Set.
Following the update, reports indicate that all eight DLC entries are being assigned approximately the same storage requirement as the main game. Each entry appears to require around 40GB, which quickly adds up when Steam calculates the total installation requirement.
This would explain why the game’s combined storage requirement has suddenly climbed to more than 366GB. Instead of treating the additional content as relatively small DLC packages, Steam appears to be accounting for a full game-sized amount of data for each one.
It is worth emphasizing that this is the apparent explanation based on the reported DLC entries. Square Enix has not publicly confirmed that duplicated game files are the underlying technical cause.
For players, the distinction matters because the update is not actually adding seven or eight complete copies of NieR: Automata as new playable content. The problem lies in the installation requirements being reported, and the developer is still investigating how this happened.
NieR: Automata Players Are Finding the Situation Pretty Funny
As expected, the unexpected storage requirement has generated plenty of reactions from the game’s community. Some players are understandably frustrated, particularly those who were planning to reinstall the game but do not have hundreds of gigabytes of free storage available.
Others have been making jokes about the situation, with some Steam users pointing out how ridiculous it is for an update that adds three languages to suddenly demand more than 360GB of space.
One frustrated Steam reviewer summed up the situation with the comment, “Only Square Enix can turn 40GB into 366GB with 8GB patch.”
There is also a rather amusing connection to the game’s actual story. NieR: Automata revolves around androids whose abilities and functionality are closely tied to their internal operating systems and installed software. Players can equip different chips to modify their characters’ abilities, and one particular ending even involves uninstalling an android’s operating system.
Now, instead of worrying about how much storage their android characters have available, PC players are being forced to manage their own hard drives just to get the game installed. It is the kind of accidental meta joke that Yoko Taro’s fans might appreciate, although nobody would have wanted it to happen this way.
NieR: Automata’s First Steam Update in Five Years
Another interesting detail is that this is the first major Steam update for NieR: Automata in approximately five years. The previous update arrived in July 2021, making the latest language additions a fairly significant change for the PC version.
Originally released in 2017, NieR: Automata remains one of Square Enix’s most recognizable action RPGs. Developed by PlatinumGames and directed by Yoko Taro, the game follows androids 2B, 9S, and A2 as they fight against machine lifeforms on a devastated version of Earth.
The game became particularly popular for its fast-paced combat, memorable characters, philosophical storytelling, and multiple endings. Its success has also kept interest in the broader NieR franchise alive years after its original release.
Earlier franchise updates have suggested that NieR: Automata will not be the final chapter for the series. However, fans are still waiting for concrete details about what Square Enix has planned next.
Square Enix Is Working Toward a Permanent Fix
For now, there is no reason for players to worry that NieR: Automata has suddenly become a 366GB game in terms of actual new content. The problem concerns Steam’s reported installation requirements, particularly when multiple DLC packages are selected together.
Square Enix has acknowledged the situation, apologized to affected players, and confirmed that work is underway to resolve it. Until the permanent fix arrives, disabling the DLC through the Steam Properties menu remains the publisher’s recommended workaround.
It is unfortunate that a long-awaited language update has arrived with such an unnecessary problem, but at least players do not need to sacrifice hundreds of gigabytes just to return to 2B and 9S.
Hopefully, Square Enix will address the issue quickly and restore the game’s normal installation requirements. After all, players installed NieR: Automata for its story, combat, and unforgettable soundtrack, not because they wanted it to take over their entire SSD.
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