Fortnite updates drive record UK broadband traffic

Fortnite isn’t just keeping gamers glued to their screens – it’s also pushing the UK’s broadband networks to record-breaking levels.

New figures from Openreach, the country’s largest wholesale broadband provider, show that data usage on its full fibre network jumped more than 35% between January and June 2025 compared to the same period last year. Across its wider national network, usage climbed by 5% in the same timeframe.

Like clockwork, peak demand tends to hit between 8pm and 10pm as households stream TV, game online and connect multiple devices. But this year, Fortnite updates have stood out as a major driver of usage spikes.

What is Fortnite?

Fortnite is a free-to-play online multiplayer game that first launched in 2017 and has since grown into one of the most popular games in the world. Known for its fast-paced Battle Royale mode – where up to 100 players compete to be the last person standing – Fortnite regularly releases big updates, new seasons and patches that players rush to download the moment they go live. These huge downloads are often several gigabytes in size, creating sudden surges in broadband traffic.

Gaming patches behind record surges

Large Fortnite patches in 2025 have coincided with the busiest broadband days on record:

• 21 February 2025: A huge Fortnite update helped push daily UK traffic to 372 Petabytes (PB) – the busiest day so far this year. To put that in perspective, that’s the same as:
  • Streaming HD Netflix for over 1.5 million years nonstop
  • Downloading 90 million 4K movies
  • Sending every person in the UK over 5,000 high-resolution photos in a single day
• 7–8 June 2025: Fortnite Patch 36.00 triggered back-to-back spikes, with usage hitting 351PB and 349PB.

Other busy days included 5 January (357PB) and New Year’s Day (346PB), showing how rising demand isn’t just linked to gaming events.

Full fibre fuels UK’s digital habits

Openreach says the growth in demand highlights how the UK’s internet use is changing as more people gain access to faster, more reliable full fibre broadband. The network builder is on track to reach 20 million homes and businesses, with more than 7.5 million customers already upgraded.

Katie Milligan, Deputy Chief Executive at Openreach, said:

“Our usage data shows how faster, more reliable connections are reshaping the UK’s digital habits. Wider access to Full Fibre is enabling families and businesses to do more online – and do it faster, with fewer interruptions.

But upgrades aren’t automatic, so that still leaves over 12 million homes missing out on a future-proof connection that’s available now from a wide range of providers.”