Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 has a mandatory 50GB day one download

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Multiplayer, zombies, and other modes are locked behind the update

Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 requires a whopping 112GB of hard drive space, and it seems 50GB of that is devoted to a mandatory day one update. According to Activision's support site (as spotted by Eurogamer), the actual disc installation process only uses up 55GB, with the remainder left open for the update.

Part of the problem with updates like these is that they can delay a game's playability, especially for people with below-average internet. Even if you get your copy on release day, you may not be able to play it until the next day or later, which in this case means less time to grind your prestige rank. To help mitigate this, some game retailers plan on selling Black Ops 4 ahead of their usual midnight release. You still won't be able to play the game until midnight, mind, but at least you'll be able to bang out the download beforehand. 

As Kotaku reported, UK retailer GAME will sell Black Ops 4 starting at 6pm this Thursday. I also called a few GameStops around the US, and several confirmed they will sell it starting at 8pm on Thursday. However, stores located inside malls and some strip centers were unsure of their release time, so if you plan on buying Black Ops 4 from GameStop on day one, you may want to call your store to confirm. 

If you plan on playing Blackout to kill time while you download, here are seven essential tips you should know going in.  

Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.