How much internet data does Destiny 2 use?
Destiny 2 focuses exclusively on online player vs. player combat, which means it’s always taking up internet bandwidth. If you use an installed mobile broadband or mobile hotspot connection, frequently playing Destiny 2 can cut into your available online data and even push you over your monthly data limit.
To see if you’re in danger of using too much Destiny 2 Data Usage, let’s take a closer look at the size of the game download, the size of game updates, and the amount of data you use per hour playing the game. As you calculate your data use, remember that the easiest way to stay under your monthly data limit is to switch from a limited to an unlimited mobile data plan.
Data use downloading Destiny 2
The initial game download uses the most mobile data. Here are the recent file sizes for Destiny 2 on all the compatible platforms and consoles. Keep in mind that the download size is smaller than the file size (since it’s compressed), but also that the file size of the game increases over time as developers release patches and updates for the game.
| Platform | File size |
| Windows PC | <104 GB |
| Xbox One (Shadowkeep) | 104 GB |
| Playstation 4 | <165 GB |
If you’re worried that you don’t have enough mobile data to download the game using your current data plan, there’s an easy way to avoid using a lot of data on the download. Instead of downloading the game online, simply purchase the physical disk and install the game offline.
Data use updating Destiny 2
Bungie occasionally releases patches and updates for Destiny 2, which you can keep track of in the patch notes. These updates vary in size, but typically use more data than playing the game for an extended period of time. If you’re worried about updates pushing you over your monthly data limit, turn off auto-updates and manually install updates when you have extra data.
Data use playing Destiny 2
Destiny 2 data usage can be as much as 250 GB to 300 GB of data per hour, which is more than the average online game. The exact amount of data you use playing the game depends on the number of players in your game mode, your frame rate, the tick rate of your server, and whether or not you use voice chat:
- The more players in a game, the more data your internet network has to communicate with other players’ networks to share information like stats and location. A solo campaign, for example, uses just 100 MB of data per hour and four-versus-four modes use less data than six-versus-six modes.
- A higher frame rate refreshes the game more often, which makes it run faster. A lower frame rate saves you data, but makes it harder for you to react quickly in the game. You can adjust your frame rate (measured in FPS) in your game settings. To change your frame rate, you’ll need to disable vertical synch (V-Synch).
- The tick rate of your server also affects your data use. A 128-tick server, which refreshes the game 128 times every second, uses about twice as much data as a 64-tick server, which refreshes the game 64 times every second. If you use a 64-tick server, you’ll save data, but have a harder time reacting quickly in the game.
- If you use voice chat, expect to use significantly more data during gameplay. Without voice chat, an online game like PUBG uses less than 30 MB of data per hour. With voice chat, it uses more than 50 MB of data per hour.
Upgrade to unlimited 4G LTE
If you want to play Destiny 2 without thinking about your mobile data use, consider switching to an unlimited 4G LTE connection with no monthly data limit and no bandwidth throttling.
