Online gaming is one of the fastest-growing branches of the entire industry. It is expected for the global worth of PC online gaming to reach $44.2 billion by 2020.
As the market is expanding, gamers are facing some restrictions. Particular countries choose to censor some online games, while others may even ban some of the titles.
The good news is that avid PC-gamers can dodge these restrictions by using a virtual private network. Here’s what can be done to enhance the gaming experience that way.
Unlimited access without geo restrictions
The report on internet censorship published by the Internet Monitor in June 2017 analyzed this subject to detail.
The bottom line is that due to religious and social reasons, some countries censor or even ban content on the internet. In some cases, parts of online games are subject to those bans. For instance, the Dorkly website brings an interesting post on how Japan censored some video games. Also, you can read more about different countries and their censorship rules on GamesRadar.
A public network will direct you to its servers, which are set in line with the local laws. As a result, you have to play the version of the game they provide for your region.
However, when one decides to use a VPN, they can get around these restrictions. This private network will allow people to gain access to servers placed in censorship-free areas.
Enhanced gaming security
Playing an online game in a traditional way exposes your IP address to anyone who may benefit from it. That way, hackers can get your private information. When it comes to more competitive online games, someone may even try to steal your game assets.
For instance, in World of Warcraft, you could lose your gold as a result of a DDoS attack. A distributed-denial-of-service attack is one of the most frequent raids on online gamers. As explained in the article on the VentureBeat website, these attacks cause a constant threat to the gaming industry. Both gamers and game manufacturers can suffer significant damage.
Since game producers will take care of themselves, gamers should follow suit. In their case, this means turning to VPN providers and servers. Every VPN comes with enhanced encryption, which keeps players safe from online data predators.
However, it’s wise to check out the reputation of several VPN vendors, as well as different gaming packages. That’s the best way to choose a reliable and affordable service.
Fast and responsive playability
Internet providers don’t consider online gaming the service of high priority. Depending on their infrastructure, some of them do this on purpose. This allows them to free some bandwidth for ordinary and business internet users. Others simply can’t provide more fluent traffic.
As a result, the data transfer can be rather slow for gamers’ needs. Playing an online game in such conditions can be quite frustrating.
The solution is right behind the corner. Again, it’s a virtual private network. Since it’s a dedicated and protected network, it transfers data via some alternative information highways. They don’t get jammed like regular data channels.
That way, a VPN ensures fast and responsive playability, regardless of the region where gamers live or their providers’ bandwidth policy.
Still, make sure that your computer meets the game requirements. Otherwise, paying for a VPN could be a waste of money. The best way to test whether the VPN is right for you is by using the free trial option most trustworthy VPN provides offer.
Improved ping, removed lag
Apart from being a reliable choice that increases safety, a VPN should reduce the ping time. That’s the amount of time needed for a piece of information to travel between a computer and a network. The lower the ping time, the faster the communication between the network and your computer.
What’s more, using a VPN should remove any potential lag. As pointed out before, ISPs often reduce internet speed for online gamers since they go beyond their bandwidth restrictions. When the speed is slowed down, lag is a common thing. If you’ve ever tried playing PES or Counter-Strike under the lag, you know how annoying it can be.
So, a VPN will eliminate any lag issues and ensure a smooth gaming experience.
Conclusion
As the online gaming industry keeps growing, both game manufacturers and players will be facing new challenges. From a fast internet connection to a safe playing environment, it’s crucial to ensure proper playing conditions.
Also, the increasing number of regulations tend to limit the freedom on the internet in some parts of the world. At the same time, there’s the burning issue of online security.
Turning to a virtual private network can solve all these problems at once. There are many VPN providers to choose from, which means that everyone can opt for the option that meets their gaming demands. That’s the best way to avoid both restrictive gaming regulations and ISPs’ limitations and enjoy online gaming to the full.