Age of Empires IV – How to Reduce Game File Size from 34GB to under 8GB!

Age of Empires IV how to reduce game file size from 34,4GB to under 8GB!

After testing it seems to be the easiest to delete a couple of files. But you need to think thru first, do I need full graphics and hi audio quality?

If you can live with low then it can be under 8GB. Now steam version is 34,4GB installed (2022-09-07). Set all settings sound and graphics settings to lowest and try the game, if its ok for you then continue.

How to Reduce Game File Size

Okey so you want to shrink the game to save some GB on your HDD.

Most important before you begin ALL SETTINGS need to be at the lowest sound and graphics.

Delete or move the files to different location, your choice.

1. With game closed go to game location Age of Empires IV\cardinal

Delete:audiomedium and audiohigh folder

2. Under Age of Empires IV\cardinal\archives

Delete: All files that starts with DX12 at the moment 12 files

3. Under Age of Empires IV\cardinal\movies\source

Delete: Full campaign folder (12,7GB) if you can live without movies for the campaigns.

So now the game is only 7,96GB (2022-09-07)

You can trim it down even more but try and error, good luck!

Bonus!

If you want different startup movie of the game.

Go to Age of Empires IV\cardinal\movies\source\fe

And change this movie relic_intro_logos.webm

Game got difficult to read different movies then those already in the game, so pick one you want from in game.

Copy paste and change name to relic_intro_logos.webm

And for background Age of Empires IV\cardinal\movies\source\fe\backgrounds

Change globe_background_main.webm

If you want it all back to normal just let steam Verify Integrity of Game Files