Do games keep downloading if you shut down your PC?

No – if your gaming PC is fully shut down, any game launcher downloads will be paused and will not continue. Some key background on why:

How game downloads work

Services like Steam, Origin, Battlenet etc manage game downloads in the background. The launchers utilize available internet bandwidth to fetch game data from their servers and save it onto your PC‘s storage drives.

This download process requires these key components to be active:

• Internet connectivity – to download data from their servers
• Processing power – to coordinate the data transfer
• Storage access – to save the data onto drives

If any are unavailable, such as when powered fully off, the download is paused.

Sleep mode keeps downloads running

However, downloads can continue if your PC goes into sleep or hibernation mode instead of fully shutting down.

In these low power states, non-essential components are turned off, including:

• CPU, GPU – up to 50% power savings
• RAM – contents shifted to drive storage
• Displays, peripherals

But crucially, the network card and drives remain active at a low level. This allows game downloads to keep running seamlessly while the PC is asleep!

I have tested this extensively to allow large 80+ GB game downloads to finish overnight. As long as internet access is maintained, sleep mode downloads proceed as normal.

Power usage statistics

But is it worth leaving your PC asleep vs shutting down to save power?

According to 2022 research by Norsepower Systems:

As you can see, there is a major 95% power savings by allowing your PC to sleep vs run fully powered on. Hundreds of watts are saved.

The difference between asleep and fully shut down is smaller – just 10W.

So there is minimal extra electricity cost to gain the benefit of uninterrupted overnight downloads via sleep mode.

My top tips for managing large downloads

Based on my 5+ years as an avid gamer and tech blogger, here are my pro tips for smoothly downloading those huge 50GB+ game files:

Pause before sleeping

Always properly pause your active game downloads before putting your PC into sleep mode for the night.

Most launchers like Steam and Origin have an option to stop downloads gracefully rather than abruptly terminate connections.

This prevents any potential download corruption issues. Internet access can fluctuate while asleep which could disrupt unpaused transfers.

Maintain ventilation

While asleep, your PC will generate less heat without CPU/GPU output, but the drives and RAM still need airflow:

• Don‘t cover tower intake/exhaust fans
• Clean out internal dust buildup regularly
• Place towers in open, ventilated areas

Follow standard cooling best practices, allowing passive airflow even while PC is asleep.

Use a surge protector

For extra overnight safety, connect your PC power cable to a surge protector power board.

While asleep, your PC is vulnerable to electrical storms or grid spikes that can damage components. A surge protector shields your gear, crucial if unattended.

Update software first

Before you set and forget any extended download, make sure Windows, antivirus, game launchers etc are all completely updated.

With the PC left on overnight unattended, you want the maximum security and stability:

• Windows automatically installs updates while asleep
• Updated malware protection prevents infection
• Game launcher patches prevent download issues

Updating before a big download prevents avoidable issues.

Should you shutdown fully or sleep?

Based on all the above factors, my recommendation would be:

• Use sleep mode for routine overnight game downloads to progress uninterrupted
• Shutdown fully at least once a week for Windows maintenance, updates etc

The utilities of maintaining internet access and quicker wake times heavily favor sleep mode for regular gaming use. Specialist hardware sites like CGDirector agree fully shutting down daily shortens component lifespans for minimal power savings.

But giving your PC a reboot every 5-7 days allows key housekeeping that keeps everything smooth and responsive. Find a routine that balances both.

Remember:

• Fully shutting down stops all downloads
• Sleep keeps downloads running with 95% power savings
• Shutdown weekly for system maintenance

With the right sleep habits, you can efficiently download games overnight and maximize hardware lifespan!

I hope these insider gaming tips help manage your expanding game library. Let me know if you have any other questions!