The exact weight of installing Euro Truck Simulator 2 on the hard drive of your personal computer directly depends on the number of connected add-ons and the version of the game client. The basic version of the simulator, without any modifications or expansion cards, takes up approximately 22 gigabytes, but this number is only a starting point for most virtual fleet owners. The actual amount of data that the system must process and store may vary depending on the specific Steam client configuration and regional download settings.
A full driving experience, including a map of all of Europe and many cargo companies, will require significantly more storage space. Modern engine updates Prism3D The size of texture and model files is constantly increasing, which makes the issue of free space critical. Before installing or updating the game, you need to consider not only the “pure” weight of the files, but also the reserve for temporary files and cache.
Owners of small-capacity SSD drives should especially carefully monitor disk capacity, since the simulator is prone to growing logs and saves. Ignoring free space requirements can lead to errors when unpacking archives or even corrupted save files. In this article we will analyze in detail what makes up the final size of the game and how to optimize storage.
Base Game Size and Impact of Updates
Main executable and basic set of resources Euro Truck Simulator 2 occupy about 20-25 gigabytes on disk. This volume includes the starting map, base truck models and standard sounds. However, developers from SCS Software regularly release patches that not only fix errors, but also add new mechanics, which gradually increases the “base” even without paid add-ons.
It is important to understand that the size of the game in the Steam library may differ from the actual disk space after the first launch. The platform often downloads additional DirectX or Visual C++ libraries that are necessary for correct operation engine. In addition, the automatic backup system for saves in the cloud also takes up some, albeit minimal, space.
⚠️ Attention: Never interrupt the game update process if there is less than 5 GB of free space left on the disk. This may result in the simulator being unable to start and require a complete reinstallation of the client.
Every major update, such as the introduction of clutch physics or new weather effects, adds megabytes of data to the game's archives. Therefore, even if you did not buy DLC, the weight of the game after a year of active use may increase by 10-15% of its original value. Regularly clearing the shader cache helps to keep some control over this process.
To save space, disable loading high-quality textures in the launcher settings if you are playing on a monitor with a resolution lower than Full HD.
Impact of DLC on total data volume
The most significant effect on how much you weigh Euro Truck Simulator 2, provide expansion cards. Each expansion, be it Going East!, Scandinavia or Iberia, adds hundreds of megabytes or even several gigabytes of new road textures, building models and road signs to the game. The total weight of all currently released DLC can exceed 100 gigabytes.
In addition to geographic expansions, there are truck and tuning packages. Models from licensed brands such as Scania, Volvo or Mercedes-Benz, contain detailed interiors and engine sounds, which significantly increases the size of the data folder. If you collect all the available cars, get ready for the game folder to grow with each new acquisition.
- 🚛 Map DLC: They take up the most space because they contain world geometry and high-resolution textures for new regions.
- 🎨 Paint Jobs: Sets of colors take up a minimum of space, but their number is in the dozens, which in total gives a noticeable volume.
- 🔊 Sound Pack: High quality (uncompressed) audio files can take up a significant portion of disk space, especially for premium trucks.
It is worth noting that disabling unused DLC through the launcher menu does not delete files from the hard drive, but only hides them from the game. To truly free up space, you need to completely remove add-ons through the game properties in Steam, which allows you to selectively manage the amount of data consumed.
Technical requirements for disk space
The official system requirements indicate a minimum threshold of 25 GB, but this value is the theoretical minimum to run the bare version. In practice, for a comfortable game and installation of all necessary updates, it is recommended to have at least 50-60 GB of free space. This will ensure stable operation without file fragmentation.
Data read speed also plays a role: installing the game on an SSD significantly reduces the loading time of maps and textures, eliminating “twitching” during fast movement. However, SSD drives often have a smaller capacity compared to HDDs, so controlling the weight of the game becomes critical for owners of such drives.
| Component | Minimum requirement | Recommended value | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free space (Base) | 25 GB | 30 GB | Main game file only |
| Free Space (All DLC) | 100 GB | 120+ GB | For the full version with all maps |
| Drive type | HDD 7200 RPM | SSD SATA/NVMe | Affects download speed |
| RAM | 6 GB | 12-16 GB | Texture caching |
If you plan to use mods, the space requirements increase in proportion to the number of files you install. Some graphics modifications can weigh several gigabytes each, and their total weight often exceeds the weight of the game itself. Always leave buffer space for temporary operating system files.
Hidden files and shader cache
Many users are puzzled why the game folder has ballooned to incredible sizes, although the amount of downloaded DLC is small. The answer lies in the cache folders that are created in user profiles and system directories. Shader cache is a collection of pre-calculated graphics data that speeds up scene rendering, but can take up gigabytes over time.
The location of these files is usually along the path Documents/Euro Truck Simulator 2 or in hidden AppData folders. Crash logs, mini-maps, screenshots taken and autosave files are stored here. If you have been playing for a long time and have not cleaned it, the volume of this data can reach 5-10 GB.
Where to find cache files
Go to the "Documents" folder, then "Euro Truck Simulator 2". The "cache", "shader_cache" and "logs" folders can be safely cleared when the game is closed. This will not delete your saves, but will speed up the system.
Regularly cleaning these folders helps not only to free up space, but also to solve problems with game crashes or incorrect display of textures. However, you should only do this after closing the application, so as not to damage active configuration files. In some cases, deleting the shader cache will cause brief stuttering on first launch until it is recreated.
Optimizing your space using mods
Mods are an integral part of the community ETS2, but they are a major factor in the game's weight bloat. Mods for traffic, improved physics and graphics (for example, Reshade or ProMods) adding thousands of new objects. While one of the most popular, the ProMods card can weigh in at over 30GB on its own, doubling the standard game size.
Using mod managers allows you to control active files, but does not reduce their physical weight on the disk. If you are experimenting with different builds, it is recommended to create separate profiles or even copies of the game, which requires even more free space. It is better to remove unnecessary or conflicting mods immediately after testing.
- 📦 Archiving: Old versions of mods can be archived in ZIP format if you plan to use them in the future, but not right now.
- 🗑️ Removal: Check the folder carefully
modand delete files with the .scs extension that are no longer used. - 🔄 Update: Outdated mods can cause bugs and take up space, so make sure they are up to date with the game version.
⚠️ Attention: When installing large map mods (ProMods, RusMap), make sure that you have at least double the amount of free space from the declared weight of the mod for the conversion and installation process.
How to check and reduce the weight of the game
If you're running low on space, your first step should be to check the integrity of your files through Steam. This procedure will not only find errors, but will also show the actual size of the installed components. Also in the game properties you can see details for each installed DLC and disable the loading of unnecessary ones.
To radically reduce weight, you can remove language packs that you don't need. The game by default downloads all available localizations, including voice acting and texts, which can amount to several gigabytes. Localization files are located in the folder def and can be removed manually by experienced users.
☑️ Checking the space occupied
Don't forget about save files. If you have dozens of profiles with thousands of logged hours, they take up space. Backing up old profiles to external media and then deleting them from the game folder is a great way to free up space without losing progress.
The most effective way to reduce weight is to remove unused DLC maps and clean out the mods folder of old versions of files.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
How much exactly does Euro Truck Simulator 2 weigh with all DLC in 2026?
The full version of the game with all currently released maps, trucks and tuning packages takes up approximately 110-130 GB of disk space. The exact size depends on the version of the operating system and the installed language packs.
Is it possible to play ETS 2 if there is only 20 GB left on the disk?
It is possible to run the base version of the game, but you will not be able to install updates, and the game may become unstable due to insufficient space for temporary files and cache. It is recommended to free up at least 30 GB.
Will the weight of the game decrease if I delete the "cache" folder?
Yes, deleting the cache folder will free up space, but the game will create it again as it runs. This is a temporary solution that is useful for troubleshooting, but not as a permanent way to save space.
Does installing a game on an SSD affect its size?
No, the type of drive (SSD or HDD) does not affect the physical weight of the files. However, an SSD provides faster loading and no jerks when loading textures, which is critical for heavy versions with mods.