Technological advances have opened up endless possibilities available to us. Knowledge. Invention. Creativity. If we want to play or play games, which is fine too. The imagination of other players is working, and now you’ll play more online-based games than you ever have! Thanks to the quick and smooth internet connections that are accessible, the industry of gaming is creating a variety of games you can enjoy online. In the meantime, it’s been observed that the preferred game model is shifting from a single-player setup to a multiplayer one, and if you’re not playing with a Nintendo 64 or a PS1, most likely, you’re doing it on the internet.
Uncovering the myth of data usage
Everyone has their ideas regarding the data used when gaming, but the majority still needs to discover the solution to the famous question. What amount of data does online gaming consume?
By 2021, most current games require between 40 to 140 million MB of internet-related data each hour. This is like the data usage when streaming music on top platforms such as Spotify, YouTube Music, and many more. The highest level of data consumed by current games (around 200MB/hour) is far from the data utilized by streaming video.
Gaming and video streaming – Myth against. Reality

Suppose you’ve had the experience of the internet sharing (with friends or family members) in the game. In that case, you’re likely to be irritated with other players in your family blaming you for your gaming for taking up the entire bandwidth.
Contrary to what many people believe, The average usage of data while gaming online is significantly less than the time you spend watching HD and videos in HD+ on YouTube and streaming favorite television shows via HBO and Netflix. Do you doubt us? Remember that Netflix can burn up 3 GB per hour while in HD mode and as high as 7 GB in an hour when you stream 4K video.
What amount of data is gaming using in comparison? It’s not even that in most games. Some exceptions include titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator and Destiny, which consume more than 300 MB of data in an hour. A majority of games consume less than that. Be aware that online shooters with competitive gameplay are usually at the top of the scale. Graphically intensive games typically consume more bandwidth to play than games similar to Minecraft. Here’s a comprehensive list of the average PC use of data when playing on the internet. Xbox and PS4 data usage should be roughly the same, perhaps less.
Online game examples
Based on a study conducted by the comparison company WhistleOut, the online games differ in their data use. Fortnite, DOTA 2, Overwatch, and Warframe consume around 100MB/hour of gaming. Counter-Strike Global Offensive and Destiny 2 lead the pack with 300MB and 250MB, respectively, per hour each, while World of Warcraft, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), and Rocket League are towards the lowest end, with each consuming 40. Other popular games, such as Team Fortress 2, League of Legends, and Rainbow Six Siege, all track with between 50MB and 100MB per hour of data.
Naturally, the numbers differ based on the activities you’re playing. If you’re playing against an extensive group of players or entering a new area for the first time, your data usage could easily surpass the normal.
Are there any issues downloading patches or updates?
Nowadays, most games need patches or upgrades throughout their lifespan, often within the first day they are released (called Day 1 patches). This is true regardless of whether you’re playing online games such as an MMO or any other type of offline single-player game. A patch’s size could range from a couple of megabytes to hundreds of gigabytes based on whether the patch is just a bug fix or contains other features. Most of the time, you’ll be able to check the dimensions of a patch before downloading it. In offline games, patches are usually not required; however, they have significant modifications that enhance your game’s quality.
If you’ve bought a game electronically, as opposed to in a disc purchased at a retailer, you’ll need to download all the games initially. This will also be different for each game, but most recent AAA titles typically require 30-40 or more than 50GB of information. More miniature indie games may need smaller than one GB.

What are the differences between gaming and streaming video?
Unexpectedly, games played online generally consume smaller amounts of data than streaming videos online. Based on a study from January 2018 published by NBN Co, popular video streaming sites such as YouTube, Stan, and Netflix typically consume between three and four gigabytes per hour. Compared to these figures, those used for the online gaming industry are less critical.
What is the amount of data does online Gaming Utilize vs. Streaming?
Streaming with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Hulu consumes more data each hour than online gaming. If someone at home has been giving you a difficult time with gaming and is messing up your internet connection and cannot connect, point them toward the bare-faced proof that streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Hulu is taking up far more data than gaming! Even the most intense online game shouldn’t consume more than 300MB in an hour, but streaming could consume up to 7GB in an hour! For example, Netflix 4K can use as much as 7GB of data per hour. In contrast, Netflix HD uses about 3GB per hour. However, even if you opt for low-quality streaming such as Netflix SD, that’s still 1GB per hour. That’s around 3x-4x the speed of even the most data-intensive online games. Go forth and play in the peace!