Resident Evil Requiem Wants 73GB of Your PS5 — And the Switch 2 Version Is Suspiciously Tiny

Resident Evil Requiem preload gaming setup with multiple consoles showing download progress bars

Resident Evil Requiem — the ninth mainline entry in Capcom's iconic survival horror franchise — launches today, February 27, 2026. And if you haven't started your preload yet, you might want to clear some serious storage space. Or not, depending on which console you own.

The Preload Numbers Tell an Interesting Story

Here's what Capcom is asking you to download across platforms:

  • PlayStation 5: 73 GB
  • PC (Steam): 70 GB
  • Xbox Series X/S: 69 GB
  • Nintendo Switch 2: 29 GB

Read those numbers again. The PS5 version is nearly 2.5 times larger than the Switch 2 version. Either Nintendo has somehow cracked compression technology that Sony and Microsoft haven't figured out, or we're about to discover exactly what "optimized for portable play" means in practice when the credits roll.

What You Need to Know

Preloads are already live across all platforms. To get started, you'll need to have pre-ordered the game on your platform of choice — Steam, PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, or the Nintendo eShop. Once purchased, head to your game library, find Resident Evil Requiem, and hit the download button. Simple enough, assuming you have the storage to spare.

For PC players, Steam's preload has been live since February 24. Console players got their preload windows shortly after. The game unlocks at midnight local time for console players, while PC players get a simultaneous global launch.

The Switch 2 Question Nobody's Asking

Let's address the elephant in the room. Nintendo's Switch 2 — which just launched — is getting a day-one Resident Evil title. That's a big deal for Nintendo's relationship with third-party AAA publishers. But the 29GB file size raises legitimate questions about what compromises were made.

Capcom has a solid track record with Switch ports — RE4 Remake on the original Switch was surprisingly competent. But a 44GB difference between the PS5 and Switch 2 versions of the same game isn't something you can wave away with "better compression." That's either significantly lower-resolution textures, reduced audio quality, or both.

The Bottom Line

Resident Evil Requiem is shaping up to be one of 2026's biggest gaming launches. The preload process is straightforward, and the game goes live today. But if you're choosing between platforms and storage space is a concern, the Switch 2's 29GB footprint is hard to ignore — even if it comes with asterisks we won't fully understand until the Digital Foundry comparison drops.

Clear your hard drives, charge your controllers, and prepare to survive. Just maybe keep the lights on this time.