If you’re a gamer, you’ve probably experienced this situation countless times. You’re on a multiplayer game and about to win a boss battle or a crucial one-on-one competition. Then your Internet connection goes down and the system hands your opponent the win.
It’s a frustrating experience that can make even the most composed gamers go into a meltdown. Surprisingly, it’s also a situation you can avoid. The solution is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)—a tool that hides your IP address and encrypts your data to provide a host of benefits.
In this article we’ll get into the benefits gamers get from using VPNs. Ready? Let’s dive right in.
#1: Prevent Bandwidth Throttling
Does your Internet speed dip every time you start to play video games online? There’s a chance your ISP provider is behind it. ISP providers dislike people who use too much bandwidth even wen the said people have paid for unlimited plans.
As a way of fighting back, it’s not unusual for these companies to slow down your Internet connections to force you out of your gaming sessions. Many providers have this terrible habit, so shifting clients won’t help a lot. But guess what can offer a long-lasting solution? A reliable VPN.
It can hide your IP address and protect your data such that your ISP client can’t single you out from other customers. And even if it did, it wouldn’t have a chance at determining how you spend your time online.
#2: Reduce Pings
Ping or latency describes the time it takes for your computer to communicate with a server. It impacts your response during gaming—how fast you shoot, pass a ball, defend yourself or throw a punch. If the ping time is long, lagging is inevitable.
In many cases, lagging is the result of playing while too far away from your closest server. A VPN can take you closer to nearby VPNs. And in doing so, it can reduce ping time and return lagging in the process. With that in mind, you need to choose a VPN with servers in the same cities and countries your favorite video games hold their servers.
Of course, look at other features too—security, price, transparency, speed and add-ons. In other words, choose a proven VPN client. NordVPN, with 5000+ servers in dozens of countries, is a great choice. This NordVPN review explains more about the company and why it’s has consistently ranked as the best VPN in the world for years.
#3: You Play using Public WiFi Safely
Nearly every security expert advises to exercise caution when using public WiFi. The reason is straightforward. You can never be sure of who else is using the WiFi. There could be a hacker intercepting your data. Or there could be a phisher intending to infiltrate your computer with ransomware.
Because VPNs hide your real IP address, it’s difficult for hackers to trace you. And since your data is usually encrypted, they can’t intercept it either. That means you can play your favorite video games safely regardless of whether you’re at a coffee shop, restaurant or airport.
Another benefit of using a VPN at public WiFi spots is that it can help you connect to you regular servers. Let’s say you find gaming to be smoother when using New York-based servers. While on a trip to Hawaii, you can use a VPN to connect to your regular NY servers.
#4: Prevent DDoS
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) used to be a problem experienced by big companies only. Unfortunately, it’s now a big problem for both gamers and video game companies. Malicious people use DDoS to attack servers used by gamers they dislike.
They can overpower a server to the point that a gamer is disconnected out of a game. They do this to rig online games and to frustrate games they hate. In case you’re wondering, DDoSers target people after checking their IP addresses.
That means that you can protect yourself by using a VPN every time you play video games online. DDoSers can’t attack you if they don’t know your IP address. They can always hit multiple servers. But many of them don’t have enough resources to attack more than one server at a time.
#5: Bypass Geo Restrictions
Want to get a new Call of Duty only available in the US? A VPN can help you get it before everyone else in your country. Want to watch the latest video-game based movie on Netflix US? You can watch it before it available in your country all thanks to VPNs.
Most people who own VPNs use them to unlock entertainment websites. If you also have a similar intention, ensure you install a VPN that can unblock all your favorite streaming networks, from Netflix and Hulu to European football and Indian cricket.
Vitally, VPNs can also help you get into gaming tournaments dedicated to players from a few select countries. Let’s say you want to participate in a competition for players based in China and you’re in Australia. If you just want to participate in the fun and maybe even get some free skins, you can turn on your VPN to qualify for these contests.
#6: Torrent Safely
Let’s face it. Gamers love to install freeware, even when it’s not always safe. In some countries, downloading files on torrent sites is illegal. Using a VPN can protect you from the problems that comes with using torrent sites carefree.
For starters, you don’t have to worry about malware because VPNs hide your real IP address. More importantly, you stay protected from hackers. And if torrenting is illegal in your country, a VPN keeps your identity a secret.
Speaking of privacy, a VPN is also vital for hiding your identity if you visit the dark web. It’s rife with skins trading websites. And although it’s not the best place to buy gaming merchandise, you might get tempted to use it. A VPN can keep you safe although experts recommend that you double down on your security by using a safe browser like Tor.
