GTA 6 won’t slow down village broadband, says UK provider
GTA VI looks set to be one of the biggest digital entertainment launches in years and, much like a major live sporting event, it’ll be a big moment for many of customers.
This is according to full-fibre broadband provider Gigaclear which told HotMinute that it’s hard to predict exactly how much extra traffic the game will generate. Preloads for the 209 GB game began on Tuesday (10 November) ahead of its official launch on 19 November.
“Big game releases and console updates are a regular part of life for a broadband network, and recent ones have been handled comfortably within the capacity we already have. A recent major game release added around 10% to our evening peak, compared with a typical Sunday, and was handled comfortably,” Gigaclear said.
“GTA VI is a much bigger and well-publicised launch, so the uplift could well be much higher. But with preload spreading downloads over a week, we expect the extra demand to be absorbed in the same way.”
It noted that it’s prepared for a spike when preloads open, then busier evenings in the run-up to launch day itself.
“Much of the game will reach our customers through content delivery networks connected directly to our network, rather than from servers far away, which helps keep downloads fast and reliable.”
Gigaclear added that its team won’t be taking the day off on 19 November, even if some of its customers are.
“We’ll be watching the network closely and working with our partners to keep planned engineering work to a minimum around preload and launch. Our focus is on all our customers, not just gamers.
“Launch day is a Thursday, so plenty of people will be working from home, studying or streaming while others are downloading.”
Impact on network
Gigaclear said that it does not expect the influx of downloads to have any impact on its network.
“Our full fibre network is built with plenty of spare capacity for busy periods. Whether you’re downloading GTA VI, on a video call or watching a film, your neighbours’ downloads shouldn’t affect your connection. Recent big releases and events haven’t caused congestion on our network, including in the rural villages we serve.
“Where people may notice a difference is inside their own home, when several devices share the connection or the WiFi at once. Downloads can also slow down if the game platforms’ own servers are under heavy demand worldwide.”
To get around this it suggests gamers get ahead and start the download when preload opens, plug the console into the router with a cable if possible, and pause other large downloads while it runs.
“Patches and updates may also be released by the developers in the run up and just after release, so keep an eye out for these too.”
