How much streaming data does Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 use?
Gamers are starting to wring their hands as they look at the potential data usages required to run Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 at its full potential.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 is a technical marvel, a feat of modern technology. The game utilizes the cloud like never before, downloading visuals directly to the player as they fly around the globe, visiting locations they may never be able to visit in-person. But this leaves a lot of gamers asking an important question: how much streaming data does Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 use?
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 data usages
The first thing to get out of the way is the actual install size of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020. This game is large, even by the standards set by the likes of the Final Fantasy 7 remake. Players on PC will need to account for 152.4 GB of hard drive space, according to the details seen in the game’s Microsoft Store page.
While that in and of itself may limit the player numbers, the other thing to consider is how much data Flight Simulator will be using as you fly around. One key feature of the game is that it is constantly downloading data to provide next-gen visuals by using photogrammetry.
Right now, it’s near impossible to say exactly how much data Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 uses with this feature on. The reason for this is that the amount of data downloaded is directly related to where you’re flying. Some areas require more data than others.
It’s important to note that it is possible to turn off data usage so that the game does not constantly download the high-definition environments as you’re flying. As Shacknews Tech Editor Chris Jarrard says in his Microsoft Flight Simulator review:
The feature can be disabled and you can still go anywhere on Earth, but the level of detail will take a massive hit. Users with a poor internet connection or draconian data caps will be at a disadvantage in this respect, but this is the price of entry for cloud-assisted Earth recreation.
Unfortunately, there is currently no clear answer as to how much data Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 uses when it’s streaming the photo-realistic images to your machine. In the event the information comes out, we’ll be sure to let you know. Shout-out to Chatty user watcherxp for the suggestion.
