Experiencing slow internet connections? Having trouble playing friends in different countries? Maybe you’re unable to play a certain game because it hasn’t been released in your area. Whatever the case, using a VPN can help enhance any online gaming experience.
Here are five simple ways a VPN can secure your connection and give you a leg-up on your competition.
1. Play With Faster Speeds and Less Lag
Using a VPN, or virtual private network, lets you encrypt your IP address as you take on an IP in the city or country of your choice. If your internet service provider is throttling your connection, you can use a VPN to bypass annoying lags and slow load times by connecting to a server in another country. When you connect to a location closer to your gaming network, you’ll be able to reduce lag and ping times.
2. Access Games From Anywhere in the World
Certain countries receive certain games before others. Just look at how the whole Pokemon GO craze came and went before Asia had a chance to get its hands on the app. By using a VPN to connect to a server in a different country, you’ll be able to download games and apps that may be exclusive to that area. (Plus, you’ll be able to explore all the Xbox and PlayStation exclusive DLCs in other countries.)
3. Play Anonymously While Protecting Your Personal Info
Most gaming networks today are linked to personal accounts, and anyone who’s been paying attention over the last few years knows just how unsecure sites like Steam, Battle.net, and Xbox Live actually are. Using a VPN gives you an extra layer of anonymity, so you won’t have to worry about hackers, spies, or sore losers seeing where you are or knowing your real IP address. Easy and discreet.
4. Prevent DDoS Attacks and Play Like a god
Anyone who’s played Minecraft online knows just how common pesky DDoS attacks are. DDoS stands for direct denial of service attacks. This occurs when spammers come together to send a flood of traffic to overwhelm a user’s server. By using a VPN, you’ll be invulnerable against these types of attacks. This is one of the main reasons so many competitive gamers use VPNs.
5. Enjoy an Overall Better Gaming Experience When You Play With Friends
Finally, a VPN can help secure your connection when you play online with multiple people. When you use a VPN to connect to a server where your friends, foes, or frenemies live, you’ll be able to play with less lag and lower latency. You can even connect to the same servers as your friends and play with little-to-no freezes.
Conclusion
Before you go out and sign up for the first VPN you see online, make sure you check a few important factors. First, make sure you get a VPN that doesn’t keep logs; second, make sure it offers plenty of VPN servers in different cities around the world; and third, make sure it offers apps for the devices or consoles you use.
Happy gaming!
