games that will destroy your PS4's hard drive space

If you hear talk of “the biggest games on PlayStation 4 right now”, you'd expect it to be in relation to the latest blockbuster release, possible one of the best PS4 games of the year, the new game of the moment that's on everybody's lips. However, big doesn't just mean there's a lot of hype around a game - it can also mean that it requires a huge amount of space on your PS4's hard drive to install, forcing you scrabble around and delete some of your other games just to free up enough room for it.

Modern industry practice means that both physical and digital versions of games will require an equally large place to live on your PS4’s HDD, with discs increasingly acting as little more than the key for unlocking access to an application. And so, featured below, you’ll find some of the heftiest memory munching games currently available to install on your PlayStation 4 - if you think you’re up to the challenge. Likewise, you may want to clear some of these off your console, if you want a piece of the upcoming PS4 gameson the way...

Red Dead Redemption 2 - 105GB

Move over Black Ops 3, there's a new data sheriff in town! Red Dead Redemption 2may not be available yet, but thanks to fine print spotted on a PS4 Pro bundle packaging we know that it requires 105GB of space, shooting it straight to the number one slot on this list. I guess we shouldn't be surprised that Rockstar's first current-gen focused project will be heavy on the storage, especially considering how expansive the world is going to be, but it's still eye-opening to consider how much hard drive space you'll need so you can saddle up and explore the Wild West.

Battlefield 4 Premium Edition - 71GB

Coming in at 31GB, the standard edition of Battlefield 4 is certainly substantial, but not ridiculously so. However, if you’re looking to pick up the premium edition of the game, which includes all five DLC packs plus every free update and map DICE has released over the last four years, you’re looking at a 71GB piece of software taking up its residence in your HDD. If you own a 500GB PS4, that’s almost a fifth of its hard drive for a single game, and a relatively old one too. Seeing as most Battlefield 4 players tend to play the fan favourite maps from the base game anyway (Siege of Shanghai 24/7 servers are still going strong on consoles), you may want to think long and hard before hitting the install button on this one. 

The Elder Scrolls Online - 86GB

Zenimax managed to recreate the whole of Tamriel as one massively multiplayer, richly detailed shared universe, so the HDD clearance caveats were always going to be mega. But as a constantly evolving MMO, the Elder Scrolls Online has only continued to grow with age. The huge Homestead patch of February this year injected another 20 gigabytes into the proceedings, but that was only the start of it. The recently released Morrowind expansion, which adds an entire new region to the game, brought with it a lusty Argonian maid’s worth of memory, which is a lot to take on for the simple pleasures of indulging in Elder Scrolls 3 nostalgia. 

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 - 101GB

Congrats, Treyarch, this is seriously impressive. Black Ops 3, with its various map packs, patches and whatever else is hiding in all that code, until recently held the crown for PS4’s biggest game. That’s not a good thing though. Over 100GB for a single game is absurd, especially for a first-person shooter which is neither the best looking, most operatic or content-packed of its kind. This does include the Zombie Chronicles collection, mind you, but that only accounts for 12 of the 101 gigabytes eating up all that valuable HDD space that could be used on so many other things. Hopefully Treyarch’s next Call of Duty game manages to either seriously justify its size, or take a lesson in memory management.

GTA 5 - 76GB

Ever wondered how Rockstar managed to make Los Santos appear both visually impressive, physically robust and geographically immense? The answer appears to be memory. Lots and lots of memory. Considering the detail, scale and endless entertainment value of Grand Theft Auto 5, at least you’ll know that all 76 gigabytes of the game are being put to good use by Rockstar. That said, it’s worth pointing out that, on PS4, Grand Theft Auto 5 is essentially a remaster of a last-gen title - Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar’s first full current-gen experience, is packing even more raw data

Uncharted 4 - 63GB

Another Naughty Dog game makes the cut, although this time the numbers are a bit more understandable. Uncharted 4’s photo-realistic visuals and smooth-as-butter action aren’t able to run on empty, you know, but those 63 gigs are what’s keeping Drake’s face looking so emotive and the explosions he creates so jaw-dropping. Naughty Dog has also spruced up Uncharted 4 with a fair bit of free and paid content for multiplayer, which all adds to the overall total.