When it comes to internet bandwidth, two things take up the lions share of it – streaming video from services such as Netflix, Youtube, Pornhub, etc. and gaming in the form of large online downloads and multiplayer services.
PC gaming platform Steam has reported record numbers of gamers online in recent days, recording 20 million players online at once for the first time last weekend before hitting those numbers twice again since. With people stuck in isolation, multiplayer and online gaming is being turned to as a means of social interaction.
However while video streaming services have already committed to reducing their digital footprint in continents such as Europe and Australia during the coronavirus crisis, gaming is now considered the biggest threat to internet bandwidth in the next few months.
Emma Mohr-McClune, Tech Service Director at leading data and analytics company GlobalData, says in a press release:
“Netflix and Alphabet (Google) have demonstrated superb industry leadership with this compromise and gesture, but online gaming service providers must now follow suit. Although video streaming represents the lion’s share of residential internet traffic in Europe, interactive online gaming is a substantially greater threat in network overload terms. Any mass market spike in activity will have significant consequences for vital government and functions for markets in COVID-19 lock-down mode.”
Internet service providers have insisted that they can handle already confirmed increases in daytime traffic which presently remains well within capacity limits, but spikes in user activity for things such as FIFA online play, the ever-popular “Fortnite,” and the recently launched “Call of Duty: Warzone” can be an issue. Last week Italy saw its national network data usage surge by more than two-thirds due mostly to online games both playing and updating.
Australia’s telecommunications industry has already been in discussions with game providers about the issue, but it’s not clear if the measures will also happen in Europe, North America or other places at this point.
For those who want to help take the strain of the infrastructure, stick to single-player gaming that doesn’t require much bandwidth usage. To help with that, Square Enix has announced that they are giving away the 2013 “Tomb Raider” reboot for free on Steam until March 24th.
We’re warmed by stories of communities banding together during these uncertain times and are offering a gift to keep friends & family connected through play. Read more: https://t.co/wWeWWuZ7Bv pic.twitter.com/9Ww2ZE7AJ8
— Tomb Raider (@tombraider) March 20, 2020
