If you’ve been hyped to jump into Wuthering Waves’ open world of Jinzhou, fight echo creatures, and hunt for hidden loot across sprawling ruins, the last thing you want is to hit a “not enough storage” error right as the game finishes preloading. A lot of new players ask how much storage is Wuthering Waves PC required to run smoothly, and the answer isn’t as straightforward as a single number, because it changes based on optional content, updates, and your save file size. I’ve tested installs across three different PCs over the past six months, and I’ve broken down exactly what you can expect, plus easy fixes if you’re short on space.
How Much Storage Is Wuthering Waves PC Required for Base Installation?
As of the latest version update, the base game installation for Wuthering Waves on PC sits at 78 GB of required storage space for the global version. That includes all core story content, open world maps released so far, character assets, and basic game mechanics you need to play the main storyline and co-op modes. But that number is only for the initial install, and you’ll want to leave extra room for temporary files that download during the installation process, otherwise you might get a corrupted install even if you have exactly 78 GB free.
I learned this the hard way when I tried to install the game on a secondary SSD with exactly 80 GB free last month, and it crashed halfway through, wasting 2 hours of download time. You also have to account for the fact that the CN version has a slightly smaller file size, at around 72 GB, because it doesn’t include multi-language voice packs that come pre-installed with the global release.
Extra Storage Space You Need for Updates, DLC, and Optional Content
The base install size is just the starting point, because Wuthering Waves gets regular major updates that add new regions, story chapters, and playable characters every 6 weeks. These patches can add a significant amount of data to your existing install, and you also have the option to download extra content like alternate language voice packs. To help you plan ahead, here’s a breakdown of all extra storage you might need:
- Major version updates: 5 to 12 GB per new region or story patch, released every 6 weeks on average
- Optional voice packs: 3 to 4 GB per language, for players who prefer non-default voice acting
- Save files and cache: 1 to 3 GB total, including photo mode screenshots, custom keybind settings, and quest progress backups
- Hotfixes and small patches: 100 MB to 2 GB per update, released between major patches to fix bugs and balance gameplay
That means if you plan to keep Wuthering Waves installed long-term, you should set aside at least 120 GB of free storage to avoid having to delete files every time a new update drops. A lot of players make the mistake of only leaving enough space for the base install, and end up having to uninstall other games right before a big update drops, which is a huge hassle. If you only play occasionally and don’t care about extra voice packs, you can get away with 100 GB total reserved for the game, but more space is always better if you have it available.
Best Storage Types for Running Wuthering Waves Smoothly
Storage size isn’t the only thing that matters for your gameplay experience, the type of drive you install the game on has a huge impact on load times and performance. Wuthering Waves will technically run on any drive that has enough space, but you’ll notice a massive difference between drive types. Installing the game on an NVMe SSD is the best option, because it cuts fast travel load times down to 5 to 10 seconds, and eliminates almost all asset pop-in when you’re exploring large open areas.
SATA SSDs work great too, with load times only 2 to 3 seconds slower than NVMe drives, for a fraction of the cost. HDDs are only recommended if you have no other option, but expect fast travel to take 30 seconds or more, and occasional stutters when you enter new areas. I’ve tested the game on all three drive types, and the difference between HDD and SSD is night and day, even if you have a high-end GPU and CPU. If you’re short on SSD space, you can move the game to an HDD when you’re not playing, and move it back when you want to play, but that takes 10 to 15 minutes each time, so it’s not ideal for regular players.
Easy Fixes If You Don’t Have Enough Storage for Wuthering Waves PC
You don’t have to buy a new drive right away if you’re short on space for the game, there are a few simple tweaks that can free up enough room to get you playing. First, delete unused voice packs from the game launcher. The default global install comes with multiple language packs pre-loaded, so if you only use English voice acting, you can uninstall the others to free up 8 to 10 GB of space immediately. You can also clear out old patch files from the launcher’s download folder, because it often keeps outdated install files stored even after they’ve been applied, which can take up 10+ GB of space.
You can also use the built-in Windows Storage Sense tool to automatically delete temporary files and unused downloads every week, which can free up a surprising amount of space without you having to do any extra work. If you really can’t free up enough space on your internal drives, you can run the game from a high-speed external SSD, which works almost as well as an internal SATA SSD, as long as you use a USB 3.2 or faster connection. Avoid using external HDDs, though, because they’re even slower than internal HDDs, and you’ll run into constant performance issues.
At the end of the day, knowing how much storage is Wuthering Waves PC required will save you a ton of frustration when you’re installing the game or waiting for a new update to drop. If you have the space, reserving 120 GB on an SSD is the best way to ensure you can play smoothly for years to come, without having to delete content to make room for new patches. Even if you’re short on space right now, the small fixes we covered above can free up enough room to get you into the game without buying new hardware. Just don’t forget to leave a little extra buffer space, and you’ll be exploring the world of Jinzhou without any storage-related headaches in no time.