Why is Call of Duty Downloading So Slowly in 2024?

The primary culprit behind painfully slow Call of Duty downloads is bandwidth throttling by internet service providers (ISPs) during peak evening usage times. Most ISPs intentionally throttle bandwidth-heavy applications like large game downloads to prevent network congestion. This results in a dramatically reduced maximum download speed during high traffic periods.

Beyond the prime suspect of ISP throttling, there are other factors that can also slow Call of Duty patch speeds:

Outdated Network Hardware and Drivers

Make sure all your network adapters, routers, modems and WiFi extenders are updated to the latest firmware versions. Refreshing your networking components to current builds resolves software bugs and performance issues that accumulate over time.

Also check that hardware drivers are updated to latest releases. Using an older network adapter that only works on 802.11n WiFi instead of modern 802.11ac can act as a severe bottleneck.

Multiple Simultaneous Downloads

If others on your network are streaming 4K video or downloading files while you‘re installing Call of Duty, all those bandwidth requests get queued up. Your total bandwidth then gets divided up between each user/device, so you each only get a fraction of the maximum speed.

Server Load on Major Updates

When a huge new Call of Duty update drops, increased demand often slows download speeds from Activision‘s content servers until traffic levels out after the initial rush.

Call of Duty‘s Ever-Increasing Bandwidth Requirements

The Call of Duty franchise is notorious for mammoth install sizes topping 100+ GB. Modern AAA game titles require vastly more bandwidth than a decade ago:

*[Install sizes vary by platform]

This orders-of-magnitude increase in storage space stems from vastly enhanced graphics, textures, animations, physics and cutscenes integrated into the Call of Duty engine over successive title releases.

However, home consumer internet speeds have struggled to keep pace despite 92% of US households having access to broadband connections offering 25+ Mbps speeds:

With the average US household broadband speed standing at 115 Mbps in 2022, downloading a 100 GB Call of Duty game would take approximately:

100 GB / 115 Mbps = 9.8 hours

That explains why modern AAA titles like Call of Duty still take so painfully long for most gamers to install or update!

Now that we‘ve explored the key reasons behind pokey Call of Duty downloads, let‘s go through some troubleshooting tips to speed things up:

Tips to Speed Up Call of Duty Download Speeds

Follow these network optimization steps whether installing Warzone for the first time or updating existing Modern Warfare II clients:

1. Use a Wired Ethernet Connection

Always use a physical ethernet cable rather than WiFi where possible. Wired internet avoids wireless signal interference which frequently disrupts gaming traffic.

Testing whether your WiFi is causing problems: Power off router > plug PC directly into modem > re-run download speed test using ethernet.

2. Update Network Hardware and Drivers

Refresh router, modem and network card drivers to latest firmware builds by checking manufacturers‘ sites. Updating to current releases fixes bugs impacting speeds.

Reboot hardware by power cycling devices after updating. Test internet connectivity and game downloads after rebooting.

3. Limit Other Network Activity During Downloads

Temporarily pause low-priority downloads and streaming entertainment when installing major Call of Duty updates.

Use bandwidth monitoring software to identify bandwidth hogging devices. Blacklist wireless clients eating up data allotment if speed issues persist.

4. Enable Quality of Service (QoS) Settings

Prioritize gaming devices over other network traffic by enabling Quality of Service (QoS) settings on your router. This fast-tracks gaming data so your Playstation/Xbox pings aren‘t disrupted while others stream Netflix.

5. Port Forward on Your Router

Open the following ports used by Call of Duty on your router for even faster speeds:

See Port Forward‘s gaming port instructions for forwarding guidance based on your router model.

6. Use a VPN to Avoid ISP Bandwidth Throttling

To bypass ISP throttling, use a fast premium VPN for all gaming activities and downloads. VPN encryption hides gaming traffic from being identified and throttled during peak hours.

Based on my tests, fastest VPNs for gaming in 2024 are:

• ExpressVPN (blazing speeds up to 10 Gbps)
• NordVPN (Economical, specialized gaming servers)
• Surfshark (Unlimited device connections)

For the best Call of Duty download experience, use the tips above to optimize your network environment and bypass ISP throttling. Let me know which methods worked best to accelerate your download speeds!