In today’s gaming landscape, titles like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth are pushing the boundaries of storage demands on our devices. However, Square Enix has shown some savvy by utilizing a nifty strategy that other developers would be wise to adopt, especially when it comes to optimizing Steam Deck downloads.
According to GamingOnLinux, a recent update to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has dramatically slimmed down the download size for those using the popular handheld device. The game’s installation now takes up just over 88GB on the Steam Deck. Sure, that’s still sizable, but it’s a far cry from the hefty 144GB required on a desktop gaming PC. This is fantastic news for Steam Deck users—thank you, Square Enix!
Now, you might be wondering how this reduction is specifically possible for the Steam Deck. GamingOnLinux sheds some light on this: when developers upload their game packages to Steam, they have the ability to target the Steam Deck directly. By creating a dedicated content depot for the Deck, developers can cut down on file sizes by excluding things like high-resolution textures, which aren’t crucial for the Deck’s display capabilities. Let’s face it, no one expects 4K graphics or ray tracing brilliance on this portable console anyway!
This approach isn’t entirely new. Remember Borderlands 2? It offered players an optional HD texture pack, giving those with beefier hardware the choice to enhance their visuals. While the Steam Deck is impressively robust, it doesn’t cater to ultra-high-resolution gameplay, so offering a streamlined version makes sense. It’s just a shame more developers haven’t caught on to this yet.
Square Enix deserves a nod of approval for setting this precedent. Version 1.003 of the update is what you’re after, so go ahead and free up some of that valuable storage space on your device. Hopefully, other developers will take note and follow suit.
