Switch 2 File Sizes 2026: COD MW4, Resident Evil, Fallout 4

Nintendo Switch 2 owners are getting their first real look at how much of that 256 GB of internal storage next-gen ports are actually going to eat, and the early numbers are rough. A fresh batch of eShop listings, first compiled by Nintendo Everything, lays out the download footprint for a string of 2026 releases, from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 at an estimated 84.9 GB to the tiny 554 MB puzzle title Exit Lab: 15 Rooms. The spread between those two numbers, roughly 150 times, says a lot about where Switch 2 is heading as a platform for big third-party ports.

For a console that ships with 256 GB of UFS storage and sells microSD Express cards separately for anyone who needs more, a single multiplayer shooter eating a third of that budget is the kind of detail that changes how people shop, how they plan storage upgrades, and how retailers stock physical copies. Here is what the newly surfaced file sizes actually say, what is still unconfirmed, and why this is turning into one of the more consequential storage stories of the Switch 2’s first full year on shelves.

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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s 84.9 GB Switch 2 Listing

The headline figure comes from the Nintendo eShop product page itself. According to My Nintendo News, the Standard Edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is listed at 84.9 GB for Switch 2, with the listing itself noting that the estimate may change before launch. That caveat matters. Activision has a well-documented history of file sizes creeping upward between beta builds and final release, so treat 84.9 GB as a floor rather than a ceiling.

Modern Warfare 4 is scheduled to arrive on Switch 2 on October 23, 2026, priced at $69.99 in the United States and £69.99 in the United Kingdom, matching the pricing structure Activision has used across PlayStation and Xbox. That price parity is notable on its own: Nintendo’s new console is being treated as a full-price, full-fat platform for the franchise rather than a scaled-down afterthought, which is a meaningful shift from the Switch 1 era, when Call of Duty skipped the console entirely after a brief Infinite Warfare cloud experiment.

What is not yet confirmed is just as important as what is. No official source has verified a 60 FPS target for the Switch 2 version, and nobody should assume frame rate parity with PS5 or Xbox Series X just because the file size is close to parity. Until Activision or Nintendo publishes a performance target, treat frame rate as an open question, not a settled spec.

The Open Beta Already Hinted at the Scale

Players who downloaded the Modern Warfare 4 open beta on Switch 2 got an early preview of the storage math. That beta build came in at 38.7 GB, according to the same eShop data reported by My Nintendo News. That is less than half the size of the full Standard Edition listing, which tracks with how Call of Duty betas typically work: multiplayer-only content, a trimmed map rotation, and none of the campaign assets, Warzone integration, or Call of Duty HQ launcher overhead that balloon the final install.

Anyone who kept that beta installed and is now budgeting storage for the full release needs to plan for roughly 2.2 times the beta’s footprint. On a console with 256 GB total and a chunk of that already consumed by the system software, that is not a trivial ask, which brings up the second major storage trend hiding in this same batch of listings: the move to code-in-a-box retail packaging.

Why Modern Warfare 4 Ships as Code-in-a-Box on Switch 2

An Amazon product listing, flagged in reporting that fed into the My Nintendo News writeup, indicates the Switch 2 retail release of Modern Warfare 4 will ship as a code-in-a-box product rather than a traditional game cartridge. In plain terms, buyers who grab a physical copy from a store shelf will open the box to find a download code, not a cart preloaded with the game.

This is not a Call of Duty-specific decision so much as a consequence of how Switch 2 cartridge manufacturing works. Reports across multiple outlets covering this story have noted that the available cartridge capacity publishers can order from Nintendo tops out well below what a game like Modern Warfare 4 needs once the campaign, multiplayer maps, Warzone assets, and the Call of Duty HQ launcher are all bundled together. When a game’s install size outgrows what a cart can physically hold, code-in-a-box becomes the fallback, and buyers end up downloading the bulk of the game regardless of whether they bought digital or physical.

That has a real-world side effect worth flagging for shoppers: a “physical” copy of Modern Warfare 4 on Switch 2 will still require an internet connection and a multi-hour download before it is playable, the same way code-in-a-box releases have worked on PS5 and Xbox Series X for years. The box is mostly a receipt and a redemption code at that point.

Resident Evil’s File Sizes Show a Much Lighter Footprint

Not every big third-party franchise is pushing Switch 2 storage to its limit. The same eShop data wave covered by Nintendo Everything lists several Resident Evil titles at far more modest sizes. Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition comes in at just 14 GB on Switch 2, a fraction of the Modern Warfare 4 figure. Resident Evil 7 sits at 20.9 GB, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition lands at 24.5 GB, and the newer Resident Evil Requiem checks in at 29.3 GB.

That is a meaningfully different optimization story than the one Call of Duty is telling. Capcom has spent years refining the RE Engine for portable and hybrid hardware, and the Switch 2 numbers suggest that work is paying off: even Requiem, a 2026 release built around modern lighting and horror set-pieces, still fits comfortably on a Switch 2 cartridge without needing a code-in-a-box workaround. Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 file sizes were not clearly confirmed in the same reporting batch, so anyone budgeting storage around those two specifically should wait for an official eShop listing rather than assuming they will land in the same range as their Deluxe Edition siblings.

Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition’s 61 GB Middle Ground

Sitting between the Call of Duty extreme and the Resident Evil lineup is Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition, listed at 61 GB on Switch 2. That figure includes the base game plus the bundled add-on content that makes up the Anniversary Edition package, which has shipped on other platforms as a bundle of the core 2015 release alongside years of DLC and Creation Club content.

Sixty-one gigabytes is still a sizable chunk of a 256 GB console, roughly a quarter of total capacity before accounting for system software and other installed games, but it is well within what a single Switch 2 cartridge can carry. Early hands-on impressions from Gaming Trend described the port as a faithful, if storage-hungry, translation of the Anniversary Edition package. For anyone comparing handheld storage math across the current console generation, this guide to Switch 2 vs ROG Xbox Ally X performance and pricing is a useful companion read, since it digs into how Nintendo’s hardware choices compare against Windows-based handhelds running the same wave of 2026 releases.

The Outlier: Exit Lab: 15 Rooms at 554 MB

At the opposite end of the same reporting batch sits Exit Lab: 15 Rooms, a puzzle-room title listed at just 554 MB on Switch 2. It is a useful reminder that not every Switch 2 release is chasing blockbuster production values, and that the eShop’s 2026 catalog still has plenty of room for small, low-footprint games that install in seconds rather than tying up a download queue for an hour.

For storage-conscious buyers, titles like Exit Lab: 15 Rooms are effectively free real estate, and they are a good argument for keeping a mix of large and small titles installed rather than treating every Switch 2 library as a rotation of 60-plus-gigabyte downloads.

Switch 2’s 256 GB Storage Math, Broken Down

Nintendo Switch 2 ships with 256 GB of UFS internal storage, a notable jump from the Switch 1’s 32 GB base models and even its 64 GB upgraded hardware revision, according to specs listed on Nintendo’s official Switch 2 product page. UFS, or Universal Flash Storage, is faster than the eMMC storage used in the original Switch, which matters for load times and for how quickly large installs like Modern Warfare 4’s 84.9 GB package actually finish downloading and decompressing.

Other Outlets Confirm the Same COD File Size Figures

The 84.9 GB figure for Modern Warfare 4 was not a one-outlet story. Coverage from OtakuKart independently pulled the same eShop listing and reached the same number, which is useful corroboration given how often early file-size estimates on major shooters turn out to be rough placeholders rather than final figures.

Even so, 256 GB fills up fast once a handful of modern ports are involved. A rough back-of-envelope: install Modern Warfare 4 (84.9 GB) and Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition (61 GB) together and that is already 145.9 GB gone, well over half the console’s total capacity, before counting system software, save data, screenshots, or a second or third game. That is the exact math driving demand for expandable storage.

MicroSD Express: The Only Way to Expand

Switch 2 supports microSD Express cards, sold separately from the console, as its storage expansion path. This is a deliberate break from the original Switch, which used standard microSD and microSDXC cards. MicroSD Express is a newer, faster card standard built to keep up with UFS-class internal storage, and it is also, critically, not backward compatible in the way some buyers expect: a microSD card that worked fine in an original Switch will not expand storage on a Switch 2.

That incompatibility, combined with file sizes like the Modern Warfare 4 listing, is pushing more buyers toward understanding exactly what card standard they need before they shop. It is the same kind of hardware-literacy problem the handheld gaming market has wrestled with across other devices, something covered in more depth in this breakdown of Steam Deck, ROG Ally X, and Legion Go storage and pricing differences.

Switch 2 File Sizes at a Glance

Game	Switch 2 File Size	Status	Source
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (Standard Edition)	84.9 GB (estimated)	eShop listing, may change before launch	My Nintendo News
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (Open Beta)	38.7 GB	Confirmed beta build	My Nintendo News
Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition	61 GB	Confirmed eShop listing	Nintendo Everything
Resident Evil Requiem	29.3 GB	Confirmed eShop listing	Nintendo Everything
Resident Evil Village Gold Edition	24.5 GB	Confirmed eShop listing	Nintendo Everything
Resident Evil 7	20.9 GB	Confirmed eShop listing	Nintendo Everything
Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition	14 GB	Confirmed eShop listing	Nintendo Everything
Exit Lab: 15 Rooms	554 MB	Confirmed eShop listing	Nintendo Everything
Resident Evil 3 / Resident Evil 4	Not confirmed	No verified figure reported yet	Pending official listing

How Switch 2 Storage Compares to Rival Handhelds

Switch 2’s 256 GB baseline and microSD Express expansion path sit in an odd middle ground compared to other current handhelds. Windows-based devices like the ROG Ally X and Legion Go typically ship with far larger SSDs out of the box, often 512 GB to 1 TB, but they also run full Windows installs and much heavier PC game builds, so the comparison is not purely apples-to-apples. Cloud-first options sidestep the storage question entirely by streaming instead of installing, a tradeoff explored in this look at GeForce NOW vs Xbox Cloud Gaming resolution and latency differences.

For a dedicated, cartridge-based console, though, 256 GB with expensive, newly standardized expansion cards is a tighter squeeze than Switch 2 owners may have expected walking in, especially once third-party publishers start treating the console as a full day-one platform for 80-gigabyte-class releases instead of a scaled-down companion version.

Historical Context: From 32 GB Carts to 84.9 GB Downloads

It is worth remembering how far this has shifted in a short window. The original Switch launched in 2017 with 32 GB of internal storage and cartridges that topped out well below what Modern Warfare 4 now needs on Switch 2. Third-party publishers spent years working around that ceiling, shipping stripped-down ports, cloud-streamed versions, or skipping the platform entirely, which is exactly what happened with Call of Duty for most of the Switch 1 generation.

Switch 2’s jump to 256 GB internal storage and UFS speeds was clearly built with this moment in mind, letting Nintendo court full, unscaled versions of major 2026 releases instead of compromise ports. The tradeoff is that buyers now have to think about storage management the way PS5 and Xbox Series X owners have for years, a shift that lines up with broader hardware trends covered in recent reporting on PS5 and Xbox hardware sales hitting a 13-year low, where big file sizes and storage costs are cited as one of several friction points for console shoppers industry-wide.

Market Impact: Retailers, Publishers, and the Code-in-a-Box Trend

The code-in-a-box approach for Modern Warfare 4 on Switch 2 has ripple effects beyond the individual buyer’s download queue. Retailers still stock a physical SKU, still sell a box on a shelf, and still collect the same $69.99 price point, but the actual data transfer burden shifts entirely onto home internet connections and Nintendo’s download infrastructure on launch day. For a release tied to a specific October 23, 2026 date, that concentrates a massive amount of simultaneous traffic into a narrow window, the same pattern that has caused day-one download slowdowns on other platforms during major Call of Duty launches in past years.

For publishers, the decision to ship Switch 2’s biggest third-party release as code-in-a-box rather than trimming the install size down to cart-friendly levels signals confidence that Switch 2 owners are willing to tolerate PS5-and-Xbox-style digital distribution habits. That is a bet on audience behavior as much as it is a technical decision, and it is one worth watching alongside how Switch Online’s subscription tier stacks up against Game Pass and PS Plus in terms of what each platform’s audience expects from digital-first releases.

Competitive Comparison: Switch 2 Ports vs Their PS5 and Xbox Counterparts

Platform Factor	Nintendo Switch 2	PS5 / Xbox Series X (context)
Internal storage	256 GB (UFS)	Larger base SSDs standard on both rival consoles
Storage expansion	microSD Express (sold separately, not backward compatible with older microSD)	Proprietary expansion cards / standard internal upgrades on rivals
Modern Warfare 4 retail format	Code-in-a-box (per reported Amazon listing)	Disc or code-in-a-box depending on retailer and edition
Modern Warfare 4 file size	84.9 GB (estimated, Standard Edition)	Historically larger on past Call of Duty entries on rival consoles
Price (Modern Warfare 4)	$69.99 / £69.99	Matches standard current-gen pricing structure

The pattern that emerges is that Switch 2 is no longer getting a visibly discounted or heavily trimmed version of a major shooter. Pricing matches rival platforms, and the file size, while estimated, sits in the same general territory publishers have reported for Call of Duty entries elsewhere. That is a genuine shift in how Nintendo’s hardware is being treated by one of the industry’s biggest annual franchises.

What’s Still Unconfirmed, and Why That Matters

It is worth being precise about what this wave of reporting has and has not nailed down. Confirmed: the 84.9 GB Standard Edition estimate, the 38.7 GB beta size, the October 23, 2026 release date, the $69.99/£69.99 pricing, and the code-in-a-box retail format for Modern Warfare 4, along with the Resident Evil and Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition figures listed above. Not confirmed: any final, locked install size for Modern Warfare 4 (the eShop listing itself flags the number as subject to change), any official frame rate target, and file sizes for Resident Evil 3 or Resident Evil 4 on Switch 2.

That distinction matters because file size estimates on major shooters have historically crept upward, not downward, between beta and launch. Anyone budgeting a microSD Express purchase around the current 84.9 GB figure should probably build in some headroom rather than buying the exact card size that fits today’s number.

Predictions: Where Switch 2 File Sizes Go From Here

Modern Warfare 4’s final size likely grows past 84.9 GB. Day-one patches and launch content historically push Call of Duty installs upward rather than down, so the eShop’s own “estimated” label is doing real work here.
More code-in-a-box Switch 2 releases are coming. As more 2026 and 2027 third-party ports target full feature parity with PS5 and Xbox versions, more titles will outgrow available cartridge capacity and default to download codes in the box.
MicroSD Express demand will keep climbing. With major releases now routinely clearing 60-80 GB, expect retailers to report tighter supply and continued demand for higher-capacity Express cards through the rest of 2026.
Capcom’s lighter file sizes become a selling point. Expect more marketing emphasis on how efficiently RE Engine titles run on Switch 2 relative to other 2026 blockbuster ports, especially as storage anxiety becomes a bigger part of the buying conversation.
Nintendo faces growing pressure to clarify cartridge capacity limits. As more publishers hit the same ceiling that pushed Modern Warfare 4 to code-in-a-box, expect calls for Nintendo to either raise available cart capacities or be more transparent about the limits publishers are working within.

What This Means for Switch 2 Owners Right Now

Practically speaking, anyone planning to buy Modern Warfare 4 on Switch 2 at launch should clear at least 85-90 GB of free space well ahead of October 23, 2026, whether buying digitally or picking up the code-in-a-box retail version. Anyone running multiple large 2026 ports side by side, say Modern Warfare 4 alongside Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition, is already looking at close to 146 GB combined, more than half of the console’s total 256 GB capacity, and that is before factoring in smaller games, save data, or screenshots and captures.

For buyers who have not yet picked up a microSD Express card, this is also a useful moment to double-check compatibility before purchasing one, since cards designed for the original Switch’s standard microSD slot will not work as expansion storage on Switch 2. Readers comparing handheld gaming hardware more broadly, including devices with very different storage philosophies, may also find it useful to check out this roundup of ROG Ally X20, Legion Go 2, and AYN Thor storage and price comparisons, since the same general calculus (big file sizes against fixed storage budgets) is shaping purchase decisions across the entire handheld market right now.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 on Nintendo Switch 2?
The Standard Edition is listed at an estimated 84.9 GB on the Nintendo eShop, with the listing noting the figure may change before the October 23, 2026 release.

How big was the Modern Warfare 4 open beta on Switch 2?
The open beta build came in at 38.7 GB, according to eShop data reported by My Nintendo News.

Will Modern Warfare 4 come on a cartridge for Switch 2?
Reports citing an Amazon product listing indicate the physical retail version ships as code-in-a-box rather than a preloaded cartridge, meaning buyers still need to download the bulk of the game.

How much internal storage does Nintendo Switch 2 have?
Switch 2 ships with 256 GB of UFS internal storage, expandable only through microSD Express cards sold separately.

Can I use my old Switch 1 microSD card on Switch 2?
No. Switch 2 requires the newer microSD Express card standard, and standard microSD or microSDXC cards used on the original Switch are not compatible as expansion storage.

How big are the Resident Evil games on Switch 2?
Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition is 14 GB, Resident Evil 7 is 20.9 GB, Resident Evil Village Gold Edition is 24.5 GB, and Resident Evil Requiem is 29.3 GB. Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil 4 file sizes have not been clearly confirmed yet.

How big is Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition on Switch 2?
It is listed at 61 GB, including the base game and bundled Anniversary Edition content.

Will Modern Warfare 4 run at 60 FPS on Switch 2?
No official frame rate target has been confirmed for the Switch 2 version, so that detail should be treated as unverified until Activision or Nintendo publishes official performance specs.

Switch 2 File Sizes: MW4 Hits 84.9GB, RE2 Just 14GB [2026]