Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 Cuts PC Install Size by Around 40GB
Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 launches on August 7 with a major texture compression overhaul designed to reduce the storage space required across every supported platform. The update is expected to free approximately 40 GB on PC and around 15 GB on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S after installation, although players must first download a larger than usual patch while the existing assets are repackaged.
The official Marvel Rivals Season 9.5 patch notes describe the reduction in percentage terms. NetEase expects the PC installation footprint to decrease by approximately 30%, while PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S should receive a reduction of around 20%. The PlayStation 4 version is expected to become approximately 7% smaller.
This means the first download may temporarily require considerable free storage, particularly on PC, because the update must replace and reorganize existing texture resources. Once the installation process is complete, however, the final game client should occupy significantly less space. Players with limited storage should therefore avoid beginning the update without enough capacity for both the patching process and temporary files.
The compression update is separate from the optional high resolution and low resolution resource packs previously introduced for PC. Those packs allow players to trade some visual fidelity for a smaller installation, while the Season 9.5 changes optimize the underlying texture compression strategy across all platforms. NetEase has not announced any intended visual quality reduction caused by the new compression system.
Season 9.5 also introduces The Hood as a new Vanguard hero. His standard form uses twin pistols and a mystical cloak to support allies, while his demonic transformation provides heavier firepower with attacks capable of piercing shields and multiple opponents. The update begins on August 7 at 09:00 UTC, with maintenance expected to last approximately 2 hours.
Reducing the PC client by approximately 40 GB is a meaningful quality improvement for a competitive game that receives continuous maps, characters, cosmetics, and seasonal content. Storage optimization rarely attracts the same attention as new heroes, but it directly improves accessibility for players managing several modern games on one solid state drive.
The industry has already shown that large installations can be dramatically reduced through better asset management, with Conan Exiles Enhanced cutting its client from 120 GB to 40 GB. Marvel Rivals now provides another example of why expanding content does not always need to produce a permanently expanding installation.
Would saving approximately 40 GB encourage you to reinstall or return to Marvel Rivals?
