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For a huge world without a huge download, start with Terraria (about 200 MB), Stardew Valley (about 500 MB), Morrowind (about 1 GB) or a classic 3D sandbox such as GTA: San Andreas (about 4.7 GB). If you want a more modern-looking 3D world, several options still come in below 20 GB; a handful of newer open-world games fit under 75 GB. Sizes vary by edition, DLC and updates, so check the current store storage requirement before downloading.
At a glance
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terraria | Exploration and crafting in a tiny download | 200 MB listed storage; 2D procedural world | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| Stardew Valley | Relaxed open-ended play | 500 MB listed storage | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| Morrowind GOTY | A hand-authored RPG world on low-end hardware | About 1 GB | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| Valheim | Procedural 3D survival | About 1–1.3 GB; 8 GB minimum RAM | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| GTA: San Andreas | A classic 3D city-and-countryside sandbox | About 4.7 GB | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate | A compact, lengthy 3D RPG | About 10 GB with all DLC | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| Far Cry 3 | A first-person open-world campaign under 20 GB | About 15 GB | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt GOTY | A modern-scale RPG below 75 GB | About 50 GB or more for current Complete/GOTY footprint | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
| Elden Ring, base game | A large modern action RPG without its expansion | About 60 GB; expansion brings total to about 80 GB | PC digital | Nov 2026 |
How can an open-world game have a small install?
File size measures the data a game installs, not the size of its map or the number of hours it can occupy. Games with pixel art, older textures, procedural generation or little pre-rendered video can offer broad exploration without storing a modern AAA volume of unique assets.
In a procedural game, rules and a seed can generate much of the world during play instead of shipping every variation as a separate asset. Valheim builds its world from a seed; Minecraft and No Man’s Sky also lean on procedural generation. A compact download does not automatically mean a small world or short game.
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By contrast, high-resolution textures, detailed authored environments, video and years of updates or downloadable content can push a modern install far beyond 100 GB. Laptop Study’s 2026 storage guide puts a typical open-world game in the 70–150 GB range, though compact and older titles remain well below that. The title name alone is not enough to predict the download: editions and add-ons can change it substantially.
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Which open-world games fit under 5 GB?
For the smallest installs, choose a pixel-art or older game, or a procedural sandbox. The picks below are ranked by how well they combine a compact footprint with a distinct kind of exploration; several are open-ended sandboxes rather than conventional 3D map-based adventures.
1. Terraria — about 200 MB
Terraria is the strongest pick when exploration density per byte matters. Its 2D procedural world includes 20 biomes and more than 30 bosses, with roundups estimating roughly 80–200 hours of play. GamerMarkt’s reread of Steam storage listings on 26 October 2026 gives it 200 MB; GamingNation also lists 200 MB. GamingNation reported 97% positive Steam reviews across more than 900,000 ratings in its 2026 roundup.
The 2D presentation is a meaningful trade-off: this is not a small-download substitute for a realistic 3D landscape. It is a good fit for players who want digging, crafting, combat and discovery in a world that can vary between playthroughs. GamingNation lists a 2–2.5 GB minimum RAM range.
2. Stardew Valley — about 500 MB
Stardew Valley is an open-ended farming RPG and second-life sandbox, not a conventional action-adventure map. Its 500 MB Steam-listed storage requirement was reread by GamerMarkt on 26 October 2026 and is also reported by GamingNation. Roundups estimate 80–200 hours, depending on how much of the farm, relationships and other activities a player pursues; the listed minimum RAM is 2 GB.
Choose it for a gentle, self-directed routine rather than combat-led exploration. A physical Nintendo Switch edition is also available, but its cartridge and retail price do not describe the PC install size.
3. Morrowind GOTY — about 1 GB
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind offers a hand-authored open-world RPG rather than a world assembled from procedural terrain. It is an unusually compact route to a large setting, with a listed size of about 1 GB and a very low 256 MB minimum-RAM figure in the roundup. OpenMW is recommended in the source material as an option for playing it on modern systems.
Its age is part of the bargain: expect older graphics and systems rather than contemporary visual polish. If you care more about exploration and role-playing than modern presentation, it is one of the strongest choices in the smallest tier.
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4. Valheim — about 1–1.3 GB
Valheim is the standout small-install option for players who want a 2020s 3D survival world. GamerMarkt’s 26 October 2026 Steam-sheet reread lists 1 GB of storage and 8 GB of minimum RAM; GamingNation describes the installed size as about 1.3 GB. The world is generated from a seed, so its breadth does not require storing a fixed map in full.
Do not mistake its small download for a low-hardware requirement: the current Steam-sheet figure is 8 GB RAM, not the 4 GB that an older roundup still prints. The roundups also say it needs a dedicated graphics card, so it is not a safe pick for an integrated-graphics-only PC.
5. Minecraft Java — about 1 GB
Minecraft Java is an essentially unlimited procedural sandbox in a compact download, listed at about 1 GB by GamingNation and Laptop Study in 2026. The 4 GB minimum-RAM figure in the roundup makes it a plausible low-memory option, and integrated graphics can work at low settings according to the hardware notes.
It suits players who want to make their own goals—building, exploring or crafting—rather than follow a fixed campaign. World generation and player-created activity are central to its open-endedness, so it is a different kind of recommendation from a hand-authored RPG.
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RimWorld is a colony-management sim and sandbox, not a traditional open-world action game. It earns a place for players who value emergent stories and long-term play: the cited estimates range from 100 to 500 hours at about 1 GB, with 4 GB minimum RAM.
Choose it for managing a settlement and responding to events rather than personally traversing a 3D landscape. Its hours-per-gigabyte potential is exceptional, but only if that management-focused format appeals to you.
7. GTA: Vice City — about 1.6 GB
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City packs a 1980s open city and roughly 100 missions into about 1.6 GB, according to GamingNation’s 2026 size list. The roundup lists 2 GB of minimum RAM and names older GTA games among the options that can run on integrated graphics.
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It is a compact choice for a fixed, mission-led city sandbox. The original PC game’s small footprint should not be confused with the size of later remastered editions or a different platform’s package.
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Other compact picks
- Mount & Blade: Warband: GamerMarkt’s 26 October 2026 Steam reread lists 100 MB of storage and 512 MB of minimum RAM for this 3D medieval sandbox.
- Gothic: GamingNation names it in its under-5-GB FAQ and lists about 2 GB, but the captured material does not provide a complete hardware specification.
- Raft: About 3 GB for a procedural ocean-survival game with story chapters and co-op for up to eight; the roundup lists 4 GB RAM.
- Sleeping Dogs (original): About 3 GB for its Hong Kong open-world action game. The Definitive Edition is larger, at about 17 GB.
- GTA: San Andreas: About 4.7 GB for its three cities and countryside, with roundups estimating 40–80 hours and 2 GB minimum RAM.
- Forager: About 200 MB in GamingScan’s listing. It is an open-ended crafting sandbox, though it is less often described as a traditional open world.
What open-world games are under 20 GB on PC?
For a more familiar 3D world, the 5–20 GB range includes older action games, RPGs and survival adventures. The figures below are approximate PC sizes reported in GamingNation’s 2026 roundup unless a date or qualification is given separately; updates and editions can change the actual download.
| Game | Approximate size | What makes it a fit |
|---|---|---|
| The Forest | About 5 GB | Peninsula survival, including caves |
| Saints Row: The Third | About 7 GB | Chaotic city sandbox |
| Just Cause 2 | About 8 GB | Grapple-and-chaos action across Panau, reported at about 1,000 square kilometres |
| Subnautica | About 8 GB | Underwater open-world exploration |
| Mafia II Classic | About 8 GB | Classic edition; Definitive Edition is about 44 GB |
| Outer Wilds | About 8 GB | Solar-system exploration; about 15–25 hours, with Echoes of the Eye as extra DLC |
| The Witcher: Enhanced Edition | About 8 GB | An early, more open-ended entry in the RPG series |
| Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate | About 10 GB | Compact RPG; the estimate includes all DLC |
| No Man’s Sky | About 14 GB, reported by GamingNation in 2026 | Procedural universe; verify the current Steam storage line |
| Far Cry 3 | About 15 GB | First-person open-world campaign |
| Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition | About 17 GB | Enhanced edition, still below 20 GB |
| Grounded 2 | 18 GB after version 0.6.0 | Backyard survival; PC install reportedly fell from 37 GB |
Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate is a strong choice if you want a lengthy 3D RPG without a large download: GamingNation estimates 60–100 hours with the DLC at about 10 GB. Outer Wilds is the opposite kind of value: its cited 15–25-hour estimate is shorter, but it offers a tightly bounded solar-system exploration experience in about 8 GB.
For No Man’s Sky, the 14 GB number is a single-source 2026 report, not a guaranteed permanent size. GamingNation also reports that the game launched at 2.6 GB in 2016 and describes 18 quintillion procedural planets. Treat the size as an estimate and check Steam before committing to a download.
Grounded 2 illustrates how patches can change the calculation: WindowsForum reported on 22 October 2026, citing Obsidian patch notes, that the PC install fell from 37 GB to 18 GB in version 0.6.0, a 51% reduction. The update required a full redownload. Its reported Unreal Engine 5.7 basis does not make the size figure a permanent guarantee; future builds can change it.
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Which modern open-world games stay under 75 GB?
If you want contemporary 3D presentation and can spare a larger SSD slot, these games are reported below 75 GB in GamingNation’s 2026 roundup. The key is to distinguish base games from expansions, and Complete or Remastered products from older editions.
| Game or edition | Approximate size | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Biomutant | About 25 GB | Roundup notes mixed reviews |
| Assassin’s Creed Origins | About 42 GB | |
| Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | About 46 GB | |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt GOTY | About 50 GB or more | Current Complete Edition footprint is listed at 50 GB+; Laptop Study gives 50 GB install and 75 GB maximum |
| Dying Light 2 | About 59 GB | Parkour-focused open world |
| Elden Ring, base game | About 60 GB | Shadow of the Erdtree brings the reported total to about 80 GB |
| Forza Horizon 4 Standard | About 65 GB | GamingNation’s roundup notes an always-online requirement |
| God of War (2018) PC | About 70 GB | Different product from God of War Ragnarok |
| Cyberpunk 2077, base game | About 70 GB | Phantom Liberty brings the reported total to about 85 GB |
| Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition | About 72 GB | Steam asks for 100 GB free during installation |
A storage requirement and installation space are not always the same thing. For Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition, the reported game size is about 72 GB, but Steam asks for 100 GB free while installing; leave that extra headroom rather than planning only around the final footprint.
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Some distinctions are especially consequential. The current Witcher 3 Complete/GOTY footprint is around 50 GB or more, not the sub-20-GB figure that older lists may attach to an earlier version. Elden Ring is about 60 GB without its expansion, while the game plus Shadow of the Erdtree is reported at about 80 GB. Cyberpunk 2077 stays around 70 GB as a base game, but rises to about 85 GB with Phantom Liberty.
Which popular open-world games are no longer small?
Several games that appear in storage-friendly recommendations exceed 75 GB in 2026 figures. Do not use an old size estimate—or the size of a different edition—to plan a current PC installation.
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|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto V | About 109 GB | GamingNation; Laptop Study gives a 100 GB install and 120 GB maximum |
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | About 120 GB; live estimates span 120–150 GB | GamingNation reports about 120 GB; Laptop Study lists 150 GB install and 175 GB maximum; PC Game Check lists Red Dead Online at 150 GB+ |
| Forza Horizon 5 | About 107 GB | GamingNation |
| God of War Ragnarok PC | About 175 GB | GamingNation; a separate PC Game Check franchise listing gives 190 GB+ for the neighbour title |
| Horizon Forbidden West PC | About 150 GB | GamingNation; PC Game Check lists 150 GB+ |
| Far Cry 6 Steam build | About 170 GB | GamingNation and PC Game Check’s 2026 listings; older 60 GB figures are stale |
| Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered | About 135 GB | Different product from Complete Edition |
| The Last of Us Part I PC | About 80 GB | GamingNation |
Red Dead Redemption 2 is the least settled figure in this group: use about 120 GB as the GamingNation figure, but plan for a reported 120–150 GB live range rather than relying on a single exact number. For Far Cry 6, the newer 2026 Steam-build reporting is about 170 GB; the 60 GB figure still found in older tables should not guide a current download.
Why do editions and DLC change the size so much?
Edition labels can conceal a substantial storage difference, even when two products share the same game title. Before buying or installing, make sure the listing is for the version you actually want.
- Mafia II: Classic is about 8 GB; Definitive Edition is about 44 GB. If storage is the deciding factor, choose Classic.
- Sleeping Dogs: The original is about 3 GB; Definitive Edition is about 17 GB. Both fit below 20 GB, but the original is much smaller.
- The Witcher 3: Current Complete/GOTY sizing is about 50 GB or more. Do not carry forward older, smaller figures.
- Elden Ring: The base game is about 60 GB; adding Shadow of the Erdtree brings the reported total to about 80 GB.
- Cyberpunk 2077: The base game is about 70 GB; Phantom Liberty takes the reported total to about 85 GB.
- God of War: The 2018 PC release is about 70 GB, whereas Ragnarok on PC is about 175 GB. They are separate products.
- Horizon: Zero Dawn Complete Edition is about 72 GB, Remastered is about 135 GB, and Forbidden West PC is about 150 GB.
- Forza Horizon: Standard edition Forza Horizon 4 is about 65 GB; Forza Horizon 5 is about 107 GB.
- Grand Theft Auto: GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas together are reported below 8 GB on PC. The Nintendo Switch Trilogy Definitive Edition is a different remastered build; the PC size of San Andreas does not describe the Switch product.
How much SSD space should you leave for games?
A 256 GB SSD can hold a useful compact library, while a 512 GB drive can accommodate several mid-size games if you reserve room for the operating system and keep free space available. The following calculations come from GamingNation’s 2026 examples and are planning estimates, not a promise about every PC’s available capacity.
Planning for a 256 GB SSD
GamingNation’s India-focused example estimates Windows at about 40 GB on a 256 GB drive. Five compact titles—Terraria, Stardew Valley, RimWorld, Valheim and Minecraft—come to about 4 GB combined using the roundup’s figures. It also estimates that ten under-10-GB open-world games total about 57 GB. Actual free space depends on the operating system, updates, recovery partitions and other installed software.
Planning for a 512 GB SSD
GamingNation estimates that Windows, drivers and software occupy 80–100 GB on a 512 GB SSD, leaving roughly 400–420 GB usable for the rest of the PC. At an average of 45–50 GB per game, that works out to about 7–8 games if you also preserve 15–20% of the drive as free space. Leave room for patches and installation staging, especially when a store requires more temporary free space than the finished game occupies.
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Count downloads, not just the map
There is no universal hours-per-gigabyte formula, but some compact games make a small SSD go a long way. Roundups estimate 100–500 hours for RimWorld at about 1 GB, 80–200 hours for Terraria at about 200 MB and Stardew Valley at about 500 MB, and 60–100 hours for Fallout: New Vegas with DLC at about 10 GB. Minecraft and Morrowind are described as essentially unlimited in the relevant sense: their play can continue well beyond a fixed campaign length. Outer Wilds, by comparison, is estimated at 15–25 hours in about 8 GB.
How should you check a game’s storage requirement?
Use the store listing for the exact product and platform you intend to install, then check again if the game has received a major update. A roundup is useful for comparing candidates, but store requirements and installed size can differ, and PC figures do not establish console download sizes.
- Confirm the product name. Check whether the listing says Classic, Definitive, Complete, GOTY or Remastered, and whether it includes an expansion or other DLC.
- Open the PC store page for that edition. Find its system-requirements or storage line on Steam or GOG. For the smallest titles in GamerMarkt’s list, the figures are developer minimum requirements from Steam pages reread on 26 October 2026.
- Check the platform and optional content. A Steam PC requirement does not establish an Xbox, PlayStation or Switch download size. Look for separate high-resolution packs, expansions and optional content before comparing figures.
- Allow installation headroom. Use the store’s free-space requirement, not just the estimated final install size. Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition, for example, is reported at about 72 GB but requires 100 GB free during installation.
- Recheck after a large patch. Games change size over time. A reported reduction can also require a full redownload, as happened with Grounded 2’s reported version 0.6.0 change.
GamingNation says its under-20-GB list sizes were verified from Steam and GOG store pages in 2026, while GamerMarkt dates its Steam minimum-requirement reread to 26 October 2026. Those dates make the figures useful snapshots, not permanent guarantees. The 14 GB No Man’s Sky estimate is especially worth verifying on Steam before download because the 2026 figure comes from one roundup.
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The list prioritizes PC games that combine a notably small reported install with a substantial or distinctive world. It includes procedural sandboxes, hand-authored RPGs, older 3D adventures and a smaller group of modern games, while distinguishing traditional open-world games from open-ended simulations such as Stardew Valley and RimWorld.
Within each size tier, the ranking favors a clear reason to choose the game—exploration density, hours of play, a particular world or a compelling modern 3D option—rather than treating the smallest file as automatically best. Reported storage figures are paired with edition, DLC and hardware qualifications where available. Since the figures come from dated store-sheet rereads and published roundups, not a single standardized install measurement, they should be checked against the current product listing before downloading.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the smallest open-world game on PC?
Among the games covered here, Mount & Blade: Warband has the smallest cited Steam storage requirement at 100 MB, but it is a medieval sandbox rather than a conventional story-led open-world adventure. GamerMarkt’s Steam-sheet reread dated 26 October 2026 also lists Papers, Please at 100 MB, though that is not an open-world game.
Can I play open-world games without a graphics card?
Some older or 2D options can work with integrated graphics: the hardware notes name Terraria, Stardew Valley, low-setting Minecraft, Morrowind and older GTA games. That does not mean every PC with integrated graphics will meet each game’s requirements; check the specific processor, graphics and operating-system requirements for the edition you plan to install.
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For long, replayable play, the cited estimates put RimWorld at 100–500 hours, Terraria and Stardew Valley each at 80–200 hours, and Fallout: New Vegas Ultimate at 60–100 hours with DLC. Those are roundup estimates, not guaranteed playtime; how much you enjoy each game’s format matters more than the estimate.
Are there open-world games under 5GB that need 8GB of RAM?
Valheim is the notable example: its storage estimate is about 1–1.3 GB, but GamerMarkt’s current Steam-sheet reread lists 8 GB minimum RAM. The size of a download does not tell you how much memory the game needs while running.
