How much data do you need for gaming? Fortnite, Minecraft, and more

By Alex Choros

Last updated 19 October 2023

Contents

In this guide:

How much data do popular games use?
What about downloading games?
Is there a difference between Xbox data usage and PlayStation data usage?
Is there anything else I have to consider when picking a plan for gaming?
How much data does gaming use on a hotspot?
Data for gaming FAQs

The games industry is rapidly shifting to a multiplayer future, with many big titles eschewing single player content for a pure multiplayer experience.

Back in the good old days™, this might have meant gathering around a single Nintendo 64; now, most multiplayer gaming is done online.

Of course, playing a game online will use data. The good news is this won't make a huge dent in your monthly broadband allowance; most modern titles use somewhere between 40MB to 300MB per hour. Even at that higher end that's less a third of standard definition Netflix stream.

How much data do popular games use?

Of course, this can still add up over the course of a month - especially if you or a family member are an avid gamer. To help, we've put together a list of how much data you can expect to use when playing the latest and greatest games - such as Fortnite, PUBG, Minecraft, and Overwatch 2 - online.

Approximate data usage per hour for popular games

Title	Data Per Hour
Fortnite data usage	100MB
Minecraft data usage	40MB
Overwatch 2 data usage	150 MB
Microsoft Flight Simulator (2020) data usage	700MB
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) data usage	40MB
Dota 2 data usage	120MB
League of Legends data usage	45MB
Counter-Strike 2 data usage	250 MB
Team Fortress 2 data usage	80MB
Call of Duty: World War II (COD) data usage	40MB
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (COD) data usage	80MB
Call of Duty: Warzone (COD) data usage	160MB
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022) data usage	80MB
Battlefield V data usage	100MB
Battlefield 2042 data usage	200MB
World of Warcraft data usage	40MB
Monster Hunter: World data usage	30MB
Destiny 2 data usage	300MB
Warframe data usage	115MB
Grand Theft Auto V Online (GTA) data usage	60MB
Rainbow Six Siege data usage	70MB
Rocket League data usage	40MB
Hearthstone data usage	3MB
Teamfight Tactics data usage	60MB
Final Fantasy XIV data usage	20MB
Sea of Thieves data usage	30MB
Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout data usage	70MB
Starcraft 2 data usage	20MB
Diablo IV data usage	20MB
Valorant data usage	250MB
Marvel Snap data usage	20MB
Apex Legends data usage	200MB

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What about downloading games?

While online gaming data usage is far from excessive, downloading new games is one of the most data-intensive tasks you can do online. Many new "blockbuster" titles are now pushing way past 50GB, at least when it comes to PC, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5.

Some still come in around at less than 100GB. Final Fantasy XVI and Diablo IV are around 90GB. However, Forza Horizon 5 is 103GB, Starfield is a massive 125GB and Star Wars Jedi Survivor 2 clocks in at 155GB.

If you had a 250GB quota, downloading a single game could burn through nearly 50% of your monthly allowance, if not more.

Even if you're buying games on disc, you'll still need to consider patches and updates. Destiny 2's patches regularly measure in around 5GB.

With the advent of next-generation consoles like the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, baseline game sizes have only gotten larger. NBA 2K23 is a 152GB download on the Xbox Series X, while Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition is 105GB on the PlayStation 5. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is over 130GB on both next-generation consoles. If you want it on PC, the developer recommends keeping 250GB of free storage space.

Of course, download size will depend on what kind of gamer you are. If you own a Nintendo Switch, most digital downloads are smaller than 10GB. Even a larger game like Tears of the Kingdom only measures in at 16.3GB. Indie games often come in under 5GB, and titles for iPhone, iPad and Android are typically less than 1GB.

However, if you're downloading games on a monthly basis, it might be worth considering an unlimited NBN plan - especially in a multi-person household.

You can compare unlimited NBN 50 and NBN 100 plans here:

Unlimited data NBN 50 plans
Unlimited data NBN 100 plans

#1	Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet Silver Unlimited nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: $59.90/mth for first 6 months and revert back to $78.90/mth thereafter. Offer ends 30.05.25 $59.90/mth Min. cost $59.90 Go to Site	$59.90/mth Min. cost $59.90	Go to Site
#2	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom Value Plus NBN nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $23/mth off for the first 6 mths, $59.90/month for first 6 months, then $82.90/month + 3 months BINGE. Ends 30.06.25 $59.90/mth Min. cost $59.90 Go to Site	$59.90/mth Min. cost $59.90	Go to Site
#3	MATE	MATE Ripper nbn 50/20 nbn® 49/19 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $20/mth off for the first 6 mths (code RIPPER20) + 1-month money back guarantee + Bundle & Save $60/mth Min. cost $60 Link not supplied	$60/mth Min. cost $60	Link not supplied
#4	Exetel	Exetel Extra-value nbn50 nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $19/mth off for first 6 months - $60.99/mth for first 6 months, then $79.99/mth. $60.99/mth Min. cost $60.99 Go to Site	$60.99/mth Min. cost $60.99	Go to Site
#5	Buddy Telco Editor's Pick	Buddy Telco Editor's Pick Value nbn - Unlimited nbn® 49/16 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: $63/month for first 6 months, then $75/month. Use promo code BUDDY50. Offer ends 18.05.25 $63/mth Min. cost $63 Go to Site	$63/mth Min. cost $63	Go to Site
#6	Moose NBN	Moose NBN nbn 50/20 Premium nbn® 50/20 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $16/mth off for first 6 months, then $79.80/month. Ends 30.06.25 $63.80/mth Min. cost $63.80 Link not supplied	$63.80/mth Min. cost $63.80	Link not supplied
#7	Superloop	Superloop Extra-value nbn50/20 nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $14/mth off for 6 months! $67/mth for 6 mths, then $81/mth + Free Amazon eero 6+ if you stay connected for 24 mths $67/mth Min. cost $67 Go to Site	$67/mth Min. cost $67	Go to Site
#8	Dodo	Dodo nbn50 Unlimited Plan nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data 12mths Deal: Incl. $15/mth discount for 12 months based on the standard price $83.90/mth. Ends 29.04.25. T&Cs apply. $68.90/mth Min. cost $68.90 Go to Site*	$68.90/mth Min. cost $68.90	Go to Site
#9	Swoop	Swoop nbn® Home Everyday nbn® 50/20 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $15/mth off for 6 months with code LOVE15, $69/mth for first 6 months then $84/mth. Offer ends 30.04.25 $69/mth Min. cost $69 Link not supplied	$69/mth Min. cost $69	Link not supplied
#10	iiNet	iiNet nbn50 Liimitless nbn® 50/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $15/mth off for 6 mths – $69.99/mth for first 6 months, then $84.99/mth. Use code SAVE15FOR6. Ends 06.05.25 $69.99/mth Min. cost $69.99 Go to Site	$69.99/mth Min. cost $69.99	Go to Site

#1	MATE	MATE No Worries nbn 100/20 nbn® 97/19 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $30/mth off for the first 6 mths (code MATE30) + 1-month money back guarantee + Bundle & Save $60/mth Min. cost $60 Link not supplied	$60/mth Min. cost $60	Link not supplied
#2	Southern Phone	Southern Phone nbn Fast nbn® 100/19 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $24/mth off for 12 months! $65/mth for 12 months, then $89/mth. Offer ends 05.08.25 $65/mth Min. cost $65 Link not supplied	$65/mth Min. cost $65	Link not supplied
#3	SpinTel Editor's Pick	SpinTel Editor's Pick NBN Unlimited Premium 100 nbn® 100/18 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $16.95 off your plan for first 6 months! $65/mth for first 6 months, then $81.95/mth $65/mth Min. cost $65 Go to Site	$65/mth Min. cost $65	Go to Site
#4	Moose NBN	Moose NBN nbn 100/20 Elite nbn® 100/20 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $19/mth off for first 6 months, then $84.80/month. Ends 30.06.25 $65.80/mth Min. cost $65.80 Link not supplied	$65.80/mth Min. cost $65.80	Link not supplied
#5	Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet Gold Unlimited nbn® 100/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: $65.90/mth for first 6 months and revert back to $83.90/mth thereafter. Offer ends 30.05.25 $65.90/mth Min. cost $65.90 Go to Site	$65.90/mth Min. cost $65.90	Go to Site
#6	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom Speedy NBN nbn® 100/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $20/mth off for the first 6 mths, $65.90/mth for first 6 months, then $85.90/mth + 3 months BINGE. Ends 30.06.25 $65.90/mth Min. cost $65.90 Go to Site	$65.90/mth Min. cost $65.90	Go to Site
#7	Exetel	Exetel Family nbn100/20 nbn® 100/17 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $19/mth off for first 6 months - $65.99/mth for first 6 months, then $84.99/mth $65.99/mth Min. cost $65.99 Go to Site	$65.99/mth Min. cost $65.99	Go to Site
#8	amaysim	amaysim Unlimited nbn Fast As nbn® 100/18 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $20/mth off for first 6 months (Incl. Standard Intro Offer), $70/mth for first 6 months, then $90/mth. Ends 30.04.25 $70/mth Min. cost $70 Link not supplied	$70/mth Min. cost $70	Link not supplied
#9	Swoop	Swoop nbn® Home Fast nbn® 100/20 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $22/mth off for 6 months with code LOVE22, $72/mth for first 6 mths then $94/mth. Ends 30.04.25 $72/mth Min. cost $72 Link not supplied	$72/mth Min. cost $72	Link not supplied
#10	Buddy Telco	Buddy Telco Speedy nbn - Unlimited nbn® 99/16 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: $73/month for first 6 months, then $85/month. Use promo code BUDDY100. Offer ends 18.05.25 $73/mth Min. cost $73 Go to Site	$73/mth Min. cost $73	Go to Site

Fast unlimited data NBN plans

Of course you can get even faster speeds for a price, and if you have the right NBN connection type. Compare fast NBN plans here:

Unlimited data NBN 250 plans
Unlimited data NBN 1000 plans

#1	Southern Phone	Southern Phone nbn Superfast nbn® 250/23 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $20/mth off for 12 months! $75/mth for 12 months, then $95/mth. Offer ends 05.08.25 $75/mth Min. cost $75 Link not supplied	$75/mth Min. cost $75	Link not supplied
#2	SpinTel	SpinTel NBN Unlimited 250 nbn® 240/22 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $9.95/mth off for the life of the plan while you stay connected to this plan. T&Cs apply $80/mth Min. cost $80 Go to Site	$80/mth Min. cost $80	Go to Site
#3	Exetel	Exetel Superfast nbn250 nbn® 220/21 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $18/mth off for first 6 months - $80.99/mth for first 6 months, then $98.99/mth. $80.99/mth Min. cost $80.99 Go to Site	$80.99/mth Min. cost $80.99	Go to Site
#4	Swoop	Swoop nbn® Home Superfast nbn® 241/25 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $37/mth off for 6 months with code LOVE37, $82/mth for first 6 mths then $119/mth. Ends 30.04.25 $82/mth Min. cost $82 Link not supplied	$82/mth Min. cost $82	Link not supplied
#5	Dodo Editor's Pick	Dodo Editor's Pick nbn Home Superfast Plan nbn® 250/21 Mbps Unlimited Data 12mths Deal: Incl. $15/mth discount for 12 months based on the standard price $98.90/mth. Ends 29.04.25. T&Cs apply $83.90/mth Min. cost $83.90 Go to Site*	$83.90/mth Min. cost $83.90	Go to Site
#6	Vodafone	Vodafone Home Superfast nbn® nbn® 250/21 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Save $10/mth for 6 mths + Speed upgrade at no extra cost if you have a mobile phone plan with Vodafone $84/mth Min. cost $84 Link not supplied	$84/mth Min. cost $84	Link not supplied
#7	Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet nbn250 Platinum Unlimited nbn® 250/21 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: $84.90/mth for first 6 months and revert back to $94.90/mth thereafter. Offer ends 30.05.25 $84.90/mth Min. cost $84.90 Go to Site	$84.90/mth Min. cost $84.90	Go to Site
#8	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom SuperSpeedy NBN nbn® 250/21 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $20/mth off for the first 6 mths, $84.90/month for first 6 months, then $104.90/month + 3 months BINGE. Ends 30.06.25 $84.90/mth Min. cost $84.90 Go to Site	$84.90/mth Min. cost $84.90	Go to Site
#9	iiNet	iiNet nbn Home Superfast Liimitless nbn® 250/21 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $15/mth off for 6 mths - $84.99/mth for first 6 months, then $99.99/mth. Use code SAVE15FOR6. Ends 06.05.25 $84.99/mth Min. cost $84.99 Go to Site	$84.99/mth Min. cost $84.99	Go to Site
#10	TPG	TPG nbn Home Superfast Unlimited Plan nbn® 250/21 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Get Price Beat Guarantee + $84.99/mth for first 6 months, then $99.99/mth. T&Cs apply. $84.99/mth Min. cost $84.99 Go to Site	$84.99/mth Min. cost $84.99	Go to Site

#1	Southern Phone	Southern Phone nbn Ultrafast nbn® 860/43 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $20/mth off for 12 months! $85/mth for 12 months, then $105/mth. Offer ends 05.08.25 $85/mth Min. cost $85 Link not supplied	$85/mth Min. cost $85	Link not supplied
#2	MATE	MATE Flamin' Fast nbn 1000/50 nbn® 831/49 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $30/mth off for the first 6 mths (use code MATE30) + 1-month money back guarantee on your Internet + Bundle & Save! $90/mth Min. cost $90 Link not supplied	$90/mth Min. cost $90	Link not supplied
#3	SpinTel	SpinTel NBN Unlimited 1000 nbn® 750/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $10.95/mth off for the life of the plan while you stay connected to this plan. T&Cs apply $90/mth Min. cost $90 Go to Site	$90/mth Min. cost $90	Go to Site
#4	Vodafone	Vodafone Home Ultrafast nbn® nbn® 800/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Save $10/mth for 6 mths + Speed upgrade at no extra cost if you have a mobile phone plan with Vodafone $94/mth Min. cost $94 Link not supplied	$94/mth Min. cost $94	Link not supplied
#5	iiNet	iiNet nbn Home Ultrafast Liimitless nbn® 800/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $15/mth off for 6 mths - $94.99/mth for first 6 months, then $109.99/mth. Use code SAVE15FOR6. Ends 06.05.25 $94.99/mth Min. cost $94.99 Go to Site	$94.99/mth Min. cost $94.99	Go to Site
#6	TPG	TPG nbn Home Ultrafast Unlimited Plan nbn® 800/40 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Get Price Beat Guarantee + $94.99/mth for first 6 months, then $109.99/mth. T&Cs apply. $94.99/mth Min. cost $94.99 Go to Site	$94.99/mth Min. cost $94.99	Go to Site
#7	Kogan Internet	Kogan Internet nbn1000 Diamond Unlimited nbn® 800/42.5 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: $98.90/mth for first 6 months and revert back to $108.90/mth thereafter. Offer ends 30.05.25 $98.90/mth Min. cost $98.90 Go to Site	$98.90/mth Min. cost $98.90	Go to Site
#8	Buddy Telco	Buddy Telco Zoomy nbn - Unlimited nbn® 875/42 Mbps Unlimited Data $99/mth Min. cost $99 Go to Site	$99/mth Min. cost $99	Go to Site
#9	Superloop	Superloop Lightspeed nbn1000/50 nbn® 860/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Incl. $10/mth off for 6 mths! $99/mth for 6 mths, then $109/mth + Free Amazon eero 6+ if you stay connected for 24 mths $99/mth Min. cost $99 Go to Site	$99/mth Min. cost $99	Go to Site
#10	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom UltraSpeedy NBN nbn® 700/42 Mbps Unlimited Data Deal: Includes $25/mth off for the first 6 mths, $99.90/month for first 6 months, then $124.90/month + 3 months BINGE. Ends 30.06.25 $99.90/mth Min. cost $99.90 Go to Site	$99.90/mth Min. cost $99.90	Go to Site

Is there a difference between Xbox data usage and PlayStation data usage?

The data you use while playing a game depends more so on the game, rather than on the platform. If you're playing Fortnite on your PlayStation 4, it will use the same amount of data as if you were playing it on a PC or Xbox Series X.

However, there may be some slight variance in-game download size depending on your console, but this should be minor. For example, Baldur's Gate 3 is around a 100GB download on PlayStation 5, but a 150GB download on PC.

Is there anything else I have to consider when picking a plan for gaming?

If you're picking a plan for gaming, there are two key metrics you should be thinking about for your broadband plan other than download allowance: performance and speed.

Performance, or ping, is arguably the most important. Ping refers to the network latency between your computer and the game server. This is largely out of your control, but an NBN plan will have a faster ping than a mobile broadband plan or home wireless internet connection. This shouldn't matter too much for casual gamers, however.

Speed is the other factor to consider. While a faster plan won't impact gameplay, it does mean you'll be able to download games and updates much faster.

If you want to know more about picking the right internet provider for gaming, read our guide. Or if you want to know more about how much data you need for other popular online activities check out our internet usage guide.

How much data does gaming use on a hotspot?

If you've got a portable hotspot or you're hoping to tether your phone for a bit of online gaming, you might be wondering how much data you'll burn through. The answer is actually pretty simple: exactly the same amount as you would on any other internet connection. The table at the top of this story applies whether you're tethering your PlayStation to your iPhone or you've got fixed-line NBN running to your PC.

As such, you can still expect to use between 40MB and 300MB per hour for most games. This means you could expect 10GB to last between 250 and 33 hours, depending on the title you're playing.

Here are a few popular SIM-only mobile broadband plans:

#1	Vodafone Editor's Pick	Vodafone Editor's Pick Small Data SIM Only Plan Mobile Broadband 60GB Data Deal: Get 60GB of data each month (incl. 30GB bonus data) on the Small Data SIM Only plan. T&Cs apply. $20/mth Min. cost $20 Link not supplied	$20/mth Min. cost $20	Link not supplied
#2	SpinTel	SpinTel Mobile Broadband 50GB Mobile Broadband 50GB Data $28/mth Min. cost $28 Link not supplied	$28/mth Min. cost $28	Link not supplied
#3	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick	Tangerine Telecom Editor's Pick 100GB Mobile Broadband Data Plan Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90 Link not supplied	$34.90/mth Min. cost $34.90	Link not supplied
#4	Belong	Belong 100GB Data SIM Only Mobile Broadband 100GB Data $35/mth Min. cost $35 Link not supplied	$35/mth Min. cost $35	Link not supplied
#5	Lebara Mobile	Lebara Mobile Data Plan Medium Mobile Broadband 80GB Data Prepaid (60 Days) Deal: Includes 20GB bonus data for first 3 recharges on Medium Data Plan until 11.08.25 $37 Link not supplied	$37	Link not supplied
#6	Southern Phone	Southern Phone Medium Mobile Broadband Mobile Broadband 50GB Data Contract (12 mths) $40/mth Min. cost $480 Link not supplied	$40/mth Min. cost $480	Link not supplied
#7	amaysim	amaysim 50GB Data Plan Mobile Broadband 50GB Data Prepaid (28 Days) $40 Link not supplied	$40	Link not supplied
#8	Telstra	Telstra Upfront Data Plan Medium Mobile Broadband 75GB Data Deal: Get 3 months Telstra Device Security. $58/mth Min. cost $58 Link not supplied	$58/mth Min. cost $58	Link not supplied
#9	Aussie Broadband	Aussie Broadband X-Large Data Only 5G SIM Mobile Broadband 120GB Data $60/mth Min. cost $60 Link not supplied	$60/mth Min. cost $60	Link not supplied
#10	Optus	Optus $130 Prepaid Data Only SIM (Online Only) Mobile Broadband 80GB Data Prepaid (365 Days) $130 Link not supplied	$130	Link not supplied

Of course, game downloads and patches don't get any smaller either, so be mindful of your allowance if you're trying to install or update a new title using a mobile connection.

Data for gaming FAQs

How much data does one hour of gaming use?

Depending on which game you're playing you can expect it to use between 40MB to 300MB per hour.

Does gaming use a lot of internet data?

In general, between the various content types gaming falls somewhere in the middle of the pack. It all really depends on the specific game as well. The higher data use of 300MB an hour is the equivalent of two hours of high-quality music streaming as an example.

Is 100GB of data enough for gaming?

Most internet plans have unlimited data these days but if you wanted to get by on 100GB of data on a mobile broadband plan it would definitely be enough data for gaming. It would all come down to which games you wanted to play and for how long. If you were playing a data-heavy game using around 300MB an hour then you'd get around 333 hours of gameplay a month. In days you're looking at nearly two weeks.