Unsatisfied gamer decries quick consumption of a month's mobile data by sending a Steam sticker in mere five minutes
In a world where mobile data rates vary significantly, a recent issue has come to light concerning the data consumption of animated stickers in Steam Chat, a popular gaming platform.
Israel, with a mobile data rate of just 2 cents per GB, stands out as the best place for mobile data consumers, while countries such as Saint Helena, the Falkland Islands, and Zimbabwe were paying over $40 per GB as recently as 2023. However, even in countries with lower rates, such as Fiji (9 cents per GB) and Italy (9 cents per GB), the high data usage of seemingly benign browsing can be problematic.
The issue arises due to the data-intensive nature of animated stickers, which typically use formats like animated GIF or PNG. These large files are downloaded repeatedly rather than being cached locally by the app. Each time a sticker is sent or even viewed while scrolling, Steam downloads the full animation from its servers again in real time within the chat interface.
This behaviour can quickly consume large amounts of mobile data, sometimes hundreds of megabytes within just a few minutes of use. For instance, a Redditor and Steam gamer named Spacebuggles reported using 700MB of mobile data in just 5 minutes while trying to send a sticker in Steam Chat.
Key reasons for this high data consumption include the lack of local caching, the heavy file format of animated GIFs and PNGs, real-time streaming of stickers, and the user experience itself, with even simple actions like scrolling through sticker options consuming extensive data.
This lack of optimization makes Steam Chat’s animated stickers especially demanding on limited or metered mobile data plans and can lead to unexpected data overages for users relying on mobile internet.
It's worth noting that Steam store pages can use up to 20-30MB each when browsed, but autoplaying game showcase videos on Steam pages have been ruled out as the data thieving culprit in Spacebuggles' case.
As a New Zealand resident on the 2degrees NZ$13 (US$7.77) monthly prepay plan, which includes 600MB of data per month, Spacebuggles experienced the consequences of this high data usage firsthand.
In conclusion, while Steam Chat provides an engaging user experience, it's essential for users, especially those with limited mobile data plans, to be aware of the potential data consumption of animated stickers and manage their usage accordingly to avoid unexpected data overages.
- In the chat interface of Steam Chat, the repeated downloading of large animated sticker files, such as animated GIFs or PNGs, can quickly consume significant amounts of mobile data, even in countries with relatively low rates like Fiji and Italy.
- The high data usage of animated stickers in Steam Chat, due to factors like lack of local caching, heavy file format, real-time streaming, and user experience, can be particularly problematic for individuals relying on limited or metered mobile data plans, potentially leading to unexpected data overages.
