Summary
- Square Enix has reduced Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Steam Deck download size from 144.2 GB to 88.1 GB in a new update.
- The update also fixes some bugs and enhances overall game stability.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth‘s download size on the Steam Deck has been reduced by a whopping 38.8% as part of a new update. With this move, the developers at Square Enix have addressed possible player concerns about Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth taking too much storage space on Valve’s handheld.
After almost a year of PS5 exclusivity, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth finally came out on PC on January 23, 2025. Upon its launch, the Final Fantasy 7 Remake sequel was met with a highly positive reception and enjoyed strong sales, breaking into the top titles on Steam’s sales chart a short time after rolling out. Notably, the game has also been optimized for the Steam Deck since day one, allowing PC players to conveniently continue Cloud Strife’s hack-and-slash escapades on the go. Continuing their support for the handheld system, the devs have further optimized the file size of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on the Valve-manufactured device in a manner that saves crucial storage space.
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Square Enix devs have reduced Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth‘s download size on the Steam Deck from 144.2 GB to 88.1 GB in update version 1.003. This change saves almost 39% more space when compared to the standard PC version—a key improvement given the limited out-of-the-box storage offered by the handheld, which starts from 256 GB in the entry-level variant. Apart from this Steam Deck-specific benefit, the patch also contains a host of bug fixes and resolves stability issues. Additionally, crashes that may have plagued AMD systems have also been addressed in the latest update.
Based on the notably trimmed-down download size, it may be fair to assume that the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth devs have reworked certain high-resolution assets of the game to achieve this, as also suggested by GamingOnLinux. Keeping in mind that the Steam Deck’s hardware capabilities are quite limited compared to a full-fledged gaming PC, the prioritization of a smaller file size over best-quality visuals appears to be a reasonable call from the team at Square Enix.
Although several studios have added their games to the Steam Deck Verified list in the past, it isn’t so common to see AAA studios optimizing their heavyweight titles for better suitability on handheld devices. If anything, gaming handheld owners will likely hope that the level of care shown by the Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth team sets a precedent for more major developers to follow in the future.
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Version 1.003 Patch Notes
- Improved overall game stability, including several bug fixes.
- Fixed an issue where the application sometimes crashes while playing the game on a PC using certain AMD Radeon™ products.
- Reduced the package size when downloading on Steam Deck.
- Released
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February 29, 2024
- ESRB
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T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco, Violence
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