Record Day on the Network
Virgin Media O2 logged its highest-ever daily data volume and peak traffic on 10 November as gamers rushed to pre-load GTA VI. Total data use beat the previous record, set by Fortnite Chapter 7 Mini Season, by 4%. Evening peak traffic topped the mark from the Arsenal v Atlético Madrid Champions League match by 3.8%. Downloads started strongly, with traffic between midnight and 1am up 51.6% on the week before.
Gamers Going All In
Polling of 520 UK adults expecting to play the game found 46% planned to download before launch day. Nearly half (45%) expect to spend £50 or more on kit, 78% have rearranged schedules to play, and 50% of working players intend to take time off. One fan even had his PS5 professionally cleaned. Jeanie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: “GTA VI is already proving to be a record-breaking moment for our network, with fans downloading the game in huge numbers before it launches. With fans booking time off work and upgrading their gaming set-ups for GTA VI, a reliable broadband connection is just as important so they can get the game downloaded in good time. We’ve been preparing our network for the demand that comes with a launch of this scale, so fans can focus on exploring Vice City, not watching a download bar.”
Fast Access for Virgin Media Customers
Customers on the Gig2 service can pull down the 190GB file in under 15 minutes. This follows Virgin Media O2’s recent move to bring 2Gbps broadband to more cable areas. If you’re on Virgin Media or shopping around, check current options on our broadband page to see what speeds are available in your area.
