PC games that need an SSD
31 of our 216 games list an SSD as required in their official requirements, so a hard drive isn't supported by the publisher. Each one links to its full requirements and an FPS check for your own PC.
Updated · How we estimate
- Cyberpunk 2077Minimum: GTX 1060 6GB / RX 580 · 12 GB RAM · 70 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 2060 Super / RX 5700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 70 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Black Myth: WukongMinimum: GTX 1060 6GB / RX 580 · 16 GB RAM · 130 GB
Recommended: RTX 2060 / RX 5700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 130 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - RustMinimum: RX 470 / GTX 1060 6GB · 12 GB RAM · 45 GB
Recommended: RX 6600 XT / RTX 3060 · 16 GB RAM · 45 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - ARK: Survival AscendedMinimum: RX 5600 XT / GTX 1080 · 16 GB RAM · 180 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RX 6800 / RTX 3080 · 32 GB RAM · 180 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - PalworldMinimum: GTX 1660 · 16 GB RAM · 40 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT · 32 GB RAM · 40 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Baldur's Gate 3Minimum: GTX 970 / RX 480 · 8 GB RAM · 150 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 2060 Super / RX 5700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 150 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Monster Hunter WildsMinimum: GTX 1660 / RX 5500 XT · 16 GB RAM · 75 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 2060 Super / RX 6600 · 16 GB RAM · 75 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Diablo IVMinimum: GTX 660 / Arc A380 · 8 GB RAM · 90 GB (SSD)
Recommended: GTX 970 / Arc A750 · 16 GB RAM · 90 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 2 of 5: Light - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33Minimum: GTX 1060 6GB / RX 5600 XT · 8 GB RAM · 55 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6800 XT · 16 GB RAM · 55 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Final Fantasy VII RebirthMinimum: RX 6600 / Arc A580 · 16 GB RAM · 155 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 2070 / RX 6700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 155 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Kingdom Come: Deliverance IIMinimum: GTX 1060 6GB / RX 580 · 16 GB RAM · 100 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT · 32 GB RAM · 100 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - StarfieldMinimum: RX 5700 / GTX 1070 Ti · 16 GB RAM · 125 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RX 6800 XT / RTX 2080 · 16 GB RAM · 125 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Ghost of TsushimaMinimum: GTX 960 / RX 5500 XT · 8 GB RAM · 75 GB
Recommended: RTX 2060 / RX 5600 XT · 16 GB RAM · 75 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Assassin's Creed ShadowsMinimum: GTX 1650 / RX 5500 XT · 16 GB RAM · 115 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 115 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Indiana Jones and the Great CircleMinimum: RTX 2060 Super / RX 6600 · 16 GB RAM · 120 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3080 Ti / RX 7700 XT · 32 GB RAM · 120 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Doom: The Dark AgesMinimum: RTX 2060 Super / RX 6600 · 16 GB RAM · 100 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3080 / RX 6800 · 32 GB RAM · 100 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Stalker 2: Heart of ChornobylMinimum: GTX 1060 6GB / RX 580 · 16 GB RAM · 160 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3070 Ti / RTX 4070 · 32 GB RAM · 160 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Assassin's Creed Black Flag ResyncedMinimum: GTX 1660 / RX 5500 XT · 16 GB RAM · 65 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3060 / RX 6600 XT · 16 GB RAM · 65 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Gears of War: E-DayMinimum: RTX 5050 / RTX 2060 · 12 GB RAM · 115 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 5060 / RTX 3060 Ti · 16 GB RAM · 115 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Control ResonantMinimum: GTX 1070 / RX 5600 XT · 16 GB RAM · 120 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 120 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Onimusha: Way of the SwordMinimum: GTX 1660 / RX 5500 XT · 16 GB RAM · 50 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 2060 Super / RX 6600 · 16 GB RAM · 50 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Mortal Shell IIMinimum: RTX 2060 Super / RX 6600 · — RAM · —
Recommended: Not listed
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - NBA 2K27Minimum: GTX 1060 6GB / RX 5500 XT · 8 GB RAM · 110 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 2070 / RX 5700 · 16 GB RAM · 110 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Ace Combat 8: Wings of TheveMinimum: RTX 2060 / RX 6600 XT · 16 GB RAM · 150 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3070 / RX 6800 · 32 GB RAM · 150 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Planet Zoo 2Minimum: RTX 2060 / RX 5600 XT · 16 GB RAM · 40 GB
Recommended: RTX 3070 / RX 6700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 40 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Phantom Blade ZeroMinimum: GTX 1660 / RX 5500 XT · 16 GB RAM · —
Recommended: RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT · 16 GB RAM · —
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - EA Sports FC 27Minimum: RX 570 / GTX 1050 Ti · 8 GB RAM · 100 GB
Recommended: RX 5600 XT / GTX 1660 · 12 GB RAM · 100 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 3 of 5: Medium - Forza Horizon 6Minimum: GTX 1650 / RX 6500 XT · 16 GB RAM · 167 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3060 Ti / RX 6700 XT · 16 GB RAM · 167 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 4 of 5: Heavy - Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2Minimum: RX 580 / GTX 1060 6GB · 8 GB RAM · 75 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RX 6800 XT / RTX 3070 · 16 GB RAM · 75 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Star Wars: Galactic RacerMinimum: RTX 2060 / Arc A580 · 12 GB RAM · 50 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RTX 3060 Ti / Arc B580 · 16 GB RAM · 50 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy - Valor MortisMinimum: RX 5600 XT / GTX 1660 Ti · 16 GB RAM · 60 GB (SSD)
Recommended: RX 6800 / RTX 3070 · 16 GB RAM · 60 GB (SSD)
How heavy: 5 of 5: Very heavy
Questions
Which PC games need an SSD?
31 games in our list have an SSD as a requirement, for example Cyberpunk 2077, Black Myth: Wukong, Rust, ARK: Survival Ascended and Palworld.
Can I run these games from a hard drive?
Their publishers list an SSD as required, so a hard drive isn't supported. Games that only recommend an SSD aren't in this list.
How much space do these games need?
Between 40 GB and 180 GB of free space; half of them need 100 GB or more.