Square Enix mistakenly ruins a Nier: Automata update, inflating the required PC file size from 50GB to 366GB
A Nier: Automata Steam update added languages but a bug raised PC storage needs from 50GB to 366GB; Square Enix is working on a base-game workaround.
Background: Franchise reports and a 10 million commemorative video
Before the patch, the reported franchise context was mixed. In 2024, the Tencent-backed Nier mobile game reportedly struggled to find a monetisation to offset its high costs. Earlier this year, it was learned that Nier Automata will continue. Back in 2025, it was heard that most of the projects the developer was working on were cancelled. One of these may have been the 2024 mobile game. A commemorative video on YouTube also marks 10 million copies.
Development: The Steam update adds languages and changes storage
Yesterday, Nier: Automata received a new patch on Steam. The update added more language support, letting the title be played with Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese options. It also inflated the PC file size from about 50GB to 366GB, and the update is not optional.
The reported cause is a bug that made all the DLC in the YoRHa Edition become the same size as the base game, with the new download stacking them all concurrently. One dissatisfied Steam reviewer said SquareEnix can turn 40GB into 366GB with an 8GB patch.
Latest status: Square Enix confirms the issue and a temporary workaround
Square Enix confirmed the problem in a tweet via its Japanese Twitter account. The publisher said that, following the latest update to the Steam version of Nier: Automata, the installation process indicated more storage space than expected. It said it was investigating the cause and working on a solution, and apologized for the inconvenience. As a temporary workaround, players can download the base game by unchecking the DLC under Steam > Properties > DLC.
This gives readers a practical escape route: a limited PC storage user can avoid the 366GB download by taking the base game alone, but that stops short of installing the YoRHa Edition DLC content while the bug remains.
Many Steam reviewers complained that they would need to delete 90% of their computers to install the game. The complaint has an awkward fit with the game itself: a large part of Nier: Automata is managing software and programmes installed on android protagonists to upgrade abilities and stats. Spoiler warning: the game includes an ending for uninstalling the OS on mechanical main characters. Creator Yoko Taro’s design already makes storage and installation part of the fiction, so the patch’s side effect feels unusually close to that theme.
Current stage: A workaround phase while the fix is pending
The event is currently in a temporary workaround stage. The language support update is available, the storage bug is acknowledged by Square Enix, and the publisher is investigating the cause and working on a solution. For readers, Nier: Automata remains installable through the base-game workaround, while the 366GB download remains the reported symptom until a fix arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platform does this issue affect?
The update and storage-size problem affect the Steam PC version of Nier: Automata.
Does the update add Chinese language support?
Yes. The Steam update added support for Korean, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.
How large does the update make the required file size?
The article says the required PC file size was inflated from about 50GB to 366GB, and the update is not optional.
What is the reported cause of the 366GB size?
A bug reportedly made all DLC in the YoRHa Edition become the same size as the base game, causing the downloads to stack concurrently.
What temporary workaround does Square Enix give?
Square Enix confirmed the issue and is investigating. As a temporary workaround, players can avoid the 366GB download by unchecking the DLC under Steam > Properties > DLC, though this only installs the base game and not the YoRHa Edition DLC content.
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