Helldivers 2’s new 23GB Slim Version is now available for PC, reducing the game’s file size by more than half. Read on to learn how the size reduction works, and how to opt into the public technical beta.
Helldivers 2 Introduces Slim Version for PC
Arrowhead Partners Up To Lower Game Size
Helldivers 2 launched its new "Slim Version" on December 2, 2025, cutting the PC install size from 154 GB down to roughly 23 GB. This follows earlier updates, where the team made small reductions to the PC install size over a series of patches while continuing to add new content.
According to Helldivers 2 Tech Blog #2 on Steam, developer Arrowhead worked with Nixxes Software, a studio specializing in PC game optimization and porting, to remove duplicated data, enabling such a dramatic reduction. Smooth loading is key for gameplay, especially when moving between missions, which is why the original PC version duplicated some data to ensure reasonable load times for HDD users.
After several rounds of QA, the Slim Version went live as a public technical beta on the same day as the announcement. The developers note that in worst‑case scenarios, loading times might increase by a few seconds, but overall performance remains largely unaffected.
The Slim Version is now available for anyone opting into the beta, and assuming everything goes smoothly, the older legacy version is expected to be retired sometime next year.
Projections Were Thankfully Off
Helldivers 2 is a third-person cooperative shooter where players team up to complete missions on procedurally generated planets, which is what led to Arrowhead’s careful research into load times across SSD and HDD users.
Early projections relied on industry data comparing SSD and HDD users in instances with and without data duplication. In the worst cases, games without duplicated data loaded up to five times slower, and Arrowhead doubled that estimate to account for unknown factors.
However, real-world measurements specific to Helldivers 2 painted a different picture. Only about 11% of players were on HDDs, and the majority of loading time came from procedural level generation rather than disk access. Since level generation runs in parallel with asset loading, even HDD users were largely unaffected by removing duplicated data.
These findings gave Arrowhead the confidence to cut duplicated data without affecting performance, paving the way for the Slim Version’s dramatic reduction in install size.
How to Opt In to Helldivers 2’s Slim Version
Opting into Helldivers 2’s Slim Version on PC is simple. Players can begin by right-clicking the game in their Steam Library and selecting Properties, then navigating to the Betas tab. From the drop-down menu under beta participation, select prod_slim, close the dialog box, and let Steam download the updated build. To return to the standard version later, repeat the steps and choose None from the beta menu.
A word of caution for modders: any patch, including this one, can break the game if mods are installed, so it’s recommended that only players with a clean installation opt in. As always, modding carries risks, and the developers are not liable for any corrupted data or issues that may arise. If this feels a bit daunting, there’s no rush — the Slim Version will eventually become the default build for all players.
For more information on Helldivers 2, check out our article below!
Sources:
Helldivers 2 Tech Blog # 2 on Steam
