Indiana Jones Game Sparks PS5 Controversy with Huge Download Demand

PlayStation 5 release of MachineGames Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, has entertained gamers on many platforms… including our own author, Frank, here at That Park Place. However, the physical edition’s storage requirements have sparked a minor controversy, particularly regarding its Blu-ray media and it’s limited data capacity. A problem that happens far too frequently than it’s covered.

The PS5 version requires approximately 125GB of SSD storage, but the single Blu-ray disc contains only 20GB of data, necessitating a 105GB download to play. This detail, reported by Push Square, contrasts with titles like Horizon Forbidden West, which use dual-disc sets to leverage the PS5’s 100GB Blu-ray capacity.

While the game itself is HUGE, making the single-disc approach a bit of a puzzle. At about 125GB, there is no way it could fit on a single disc and for those with limited download speeds, dual discs could reduce download demands. I know gamer’s frustrations when they have limited time to play and are hit with patches, let alone entire game downloads.

No official statement from Microsoft or Bethesda explains the decision, leaving room for speculation and many complaints I would imagine. Producing a single disc is generally less costly than a dual-disc set, which may factor into the choice, according to industry analysts cited by Eurogamer. I am not sure that extra dollar would make much difference in the grand scheme. Conversely, large downloads are standard for modern AAA games, with titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 requiring over 100GB. A fact that usually leads to conversations about optimizations and bulky game engines.

This trend reflects the growing size of “high-fidelity” games with scalable fields of view and render distances, a point noted in Digital Trends’ coverage of storage challenges in modern gaming.

Developers in turn argue the game’s technical demands justify its footprint. It features ray-traced lighting and 60 frames-per-second performance on both base PS5 and PS5 Pro. In fact, the Pro delivers that all in 4K resolution.

Sales data for the PS5 version, launched April 17, 2025, isn’t yet available, as industry trackers like Circana typically release figures weeks post-launch. For context, the Xbox and PC versions, released December 2024, saw strong performance, ranking as the second best-selling game in the U.S. during its launch week. By January 2025, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reported over 4 million players across Xbox and PC, per VGChartz.

Player reactions to the game vary, for our thoughts check Frank’s review here. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle showcases the PS5’s power, but its physical release size and download requirement may frustrate some. It also emphasizes the move away from owning physical copies of your games to more of a hostage model tied to surviving game studios of the future. As gaming’s storage needs expand, players and publishers are set for a conflict over what’s reasonable.