Can I Play a Game While Another Updates? A Comprehensive Guide

Yes, generally speaking, you can play a game while another is updating, but the experience varies significantly depending on your platform (PC, Xbox, PlayStation), your internet connection, and the resources available on your system. Expect potential performance dips and slower download speeds. Let’s dive into the specifics of how this works across different platforms and how to optimize your experience.

Understanding the Limitations

The ability to game while updating is a modern convenience, but it’s essential to understand the underlying factors at play. When you’re updating a game, your system is simultaneously performing several resource-intensive tasks:

• Downloading: This utilizes your internet bandwidth, competing with any online game you might be playing.
• Decompressing: Downloaded game files are often heavily compressed, requiring your CPU to unpack them.
• Writing to Disk: The updated files need to be written to your hard drive or SSD, which can slow down game loading times and overall system responsiveness.
• Installation: Applying the changes to your existing game files. This requires access to both your storage and CPU.

The impact of these processes on your gaming experience depends on the horsepower of your PC, the speed of your internet connection, and the specific game you’re trying to play.

Platform-Specific Considerations

Different gaming platforms handle updates in different ways. Here’s a breakdown:

PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, etc.)

• Steam: Steam offers a setting to “Allow downloads during gameplay.” This allows updates to run in the background, but it’s not a magic bullet. Expect slower download speeds and potential FPS drops in your game, especially if it’s graphically demanding. You can usually mitigate this by limiting download bandwidth within Steam’s settings.

• Other PC Platforms: The Epic Games Store and other PC platforms typically allow background downloads, but the performance impact will be similar to Steam.

Xbox

• Playing Digital Games: Xbox generally allows you to play digital games while another is installing from the Microsoft Store or Xbox Game Pass. This is a convenient feature, but be mindful of the strain on your network and system.

• Playing From Disc: A key exception is that you cannot play games from a disc if you’re simultaneously installing from the same disc.

PlayStation (PS4, PS5)

• PS4: The PS4 features “Remote Play,” which can enable you to start playing a game before it’s fully downloaded, provided a certain amount of data has been downloaded first. As with other platforms, you can download in the background while playing a different game.

• PS5: The PS5 also supports background downloads and installations, with similar considerations regarding performance impact. Rest mode is often cited as the fastest way to download updates on PlayStation.

Optimizing Your Experience

Here are some tips to minimize the impact of updates on your gaming performance:

1. Prioritize Wired Connections: A wired Ethernet connection will always provide a more stable and faster connection than Wi-Fi, reducing the likelihood of lag spikes during gameplay.
2. Close Unnecessary Applications: Before launching your game, close any other programs that might be consuming resources, such as web browsers, streaming services, or other games.
3. Adjust Download Settings: Most platforms allow you to limit the download bandwidth used by updates. Experiment with different settings to find a balance between download speed and gaming performance.
4. Schedule Updates: Whenever possible, schedule updates for times when you’re not actively gaming, such as overnight or during the day when you’re at work or school.
5. Utilize Rest/Sleep Mode: On consoles, putting the system into rest or sleep mode often results in faster download speeds, as the system can dedicate more resources to the task.
6. Clear Download Cache: If you are encountering problems with downloads on Steam, clearing your download cache may resolve these issues. You can do this within the Steam settings.
7. Change Download Region: If you are experiencing slow downloads on Steam, changing your download server location can also provide a boost to the download speed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are 15 frequently asked questions addressing common concerns about playing games while others are updating:

1. Will playing an online game slow down my download speed?

Yes. Playing an online game consumes bandwidth. If your download speed is already close to the limit of your internet connection, the game and the download will compete for resources, slowing down both.

2. Does installing a game affect my FPS (frames per second)?

Yes, it’s possible. Decompressing game files during installation requires CPU power. If your CPU is already heavily utilized by the game you’re playing, you may experience FPS drops.

3. Is it better to download updates in rest mode on my PS4/PS5?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that rest mode often provides faster download speeds on PlayStation consoles. This is likely because the system can dedicate more resources to downloading when it’s not actively running other applications.

4. Can I play a PS4 game without updating it?

Yes, if you intend to play in single-player mode. However, for multiplayer/online features, you will likely need to update to the latest patch to avoid bugs and ensure compatibility.

5. Why is my Xbox update so slow?

Several factors can contribute, including network congestion, distance to content servers, the size of the update, running games in the background, and remote play connections.

6. Can I play a game offline on Xbox without updating?

Yes, you can play the game. However, you will not be able to connect to Xbox Live or access any online features without installing the update.

7. What happens if I play a game before it finishes downloading?

You can start playing as soon as a certain portion of the game has downloaded. The remaining data will download in the background while you play.

8. How do I speed up Steam downloads?

Several methods can help, including:

• Checking for internet issues.
• Ensuring Steam has adequate bandwidth.
• Disabling Windows’ Metered Connection.
• Disabling your VPN (if applicable).
• Ensuring Steam isn’t limiting its own bandwidth.
• Clearing the download cache in Steam.
• Changing the download server location.
• Disabling download throttling.

9. Does PS4 download in the background?

Yes, your PS4 can download updates in the background, even in rest mode. Ensure that “Stay Connected to the Internet” is enabled in your power-saving settings.

10. How do I keep downloads running overnight on PS4?

Go to Settings > Power Saving Settings > Set Features Available in Rest Mode, and ensure “Stay Connected to the Internet” is checked.

11. What is a good download speed for gaming?

This depends on the size of the household. 100-300 Mbps is a good baseline for a single user, 300-500 Mbps is better for small to medium households, and 500 Mbps to 1 Gig is suitable for larger households.

12. Why is my download speed so slow despite having a fast internet connection?

Possible causes include an outdated router, distance from the router, ISP throttling, or too many devices connected to the network.

13. What does clearing the download cache do in Steam?

Clearing your download cache can resolve issues with games that won’t download or start properly. It will require you to log back into Steam after clearing the cache.

14. How many Steam games can I run at the same time?

A Steam library can only be used by one user at a time to play one game at a time.

15. Can newer Xbox consoles play older games?

Yes, backward compatibility is a key feature of newer Xbox consoles (Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S).

Final Thoughts

The ability to play a game while another is updating is a valuable feature, but it’s crucial to manage your expectations and understand the limitations of your hardware and network. By following the optimization tips outlined above, you can minimize the impact of updates on your gaming experience and keep enjoying your favorite titles. You may find valuable information about gaming and learning at GamesLearningSociety.org, a site dedicated to the intersection of the two topics. Check out the Games Learning Society today!