Why You Need a VPN for Online Gaming

As a gamer today, you’re probably well aware the Internet is transforming the industry. With virtually all of the biggest franchises leaning toward PvP multiplayer and live service models, engaging in your favorite hobby means getting used to being always connected. In many ways, the shift toward online gaming is a positive, bringing added excitement and an engaging social aspect to an already thrilling pastime. At the same time, though, there are some challenges associated with online gaming in the current digital landscape.

With streaming and e-sports becoming more and more popular each year, multiplayer games are now extremely competitive, so connection quality issues can have a seriously detrimental impact on your experience. At the same time, there are ever-present security dangers to keep in mind, while geographical restrictions can prevent you from playing your preferred titles at all. If you run into these kinds of problems, you might understandably feel put off by the whole experience, but a VPN can help immensely. Here, we’ll explain just how.

VPNs Protect You While You Game

Whenever you go online you are putting yourself at risk of a security breach. Though it’s not often the first thing to come to mind when we think about cybersecurity, the same risks exist in gaming as any other online activity.

With online stores like Steam and Epic Games Store doing enormous business, there’s every incentive for malicious cybercriminals to try to hack into user accounts. DDoS attacks, although not commonplace, do occur. So, it makes sense to protect yourself, and a VPN is a practical and convenient way to do that.

By simply using a free VPN like that of 1Click VPN, for instance, you can reroute your internet connection through a server in a different region of the world. This enables you to conceal your IP address, which can prevent hackers and other malicious entities from tracking you. In this way, the anonymity a VPN provides can insulate you against account hacking and DDosing for a safer gaming experience.

Additionally, as a VPN will encrypt your traffic, it can help to protect your data when gaming on unsecured Wi-Fi networks.

VPNs Let You Access a Wider Range of Titles

One of the best things about gaming is being able to explore different virtual worlds and engage with different online communities. However, the world of online gaming is becoming increasingly restrictive due to the existence of location-based restrictions like geo-blocks, which can preclude you from playing certain titles due to the region in which you live. This hardly seems fair, does it? Fortunately for you, VPNs can provide a workaround.

As we’ve touched on, a VPN application allows you to use VPN servers to divert your connection. In doing so, it lets you utilize the IP address of the server that you’re connected to, allowing you to essentially use the Internet as though you were a user in that server’s region.

All of this means that with just a click, you can change your location, bypassing any restrictions on your country in the process. As a result, you will be able to play all of the newest and best titles available, regardless of where you are.

VPNs Boost Gaming Performance

With so many of the biggest multiplayer titles requiring lightning-fast twitch reflexes, having a slow or inconsistent connection can destroy your gaming experience completely. If you find yourself experiencing lags and latency, it may be because the game servers you’re connecting to are far from where you are, or may even be because your ISP is throttling your connection. Such issues can be frustrating, but a VPN can help on both counts.

By letting you change your server location, a VPN can allow you to establish a faster connection to game servers for smoother gameplay. At the same time, by encrypting your traffic and masking your activities, it can prevent ISPs from keeping tabs on you. This means that they cannot determine when you are engaging in high-bandwidth activities like gaming, and so they will be unable to trigger bandwidth throttling. As a consequence, you will be able to enjoy online gaming with fewer lags, lower latency, and considerably greater responsiveness. That translates to better in-game performance and a more enjoyable all-around experience for you.

Wrapping Up

Online gaming is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular pastimes, and for good reason, but there are common sticking points associated with the activity. Cybersecurity dangers, geo-restrictions, and connectivity issues can put a damper on your experience if left unchecked, but a VPN can help you overcome these problems. With a VPN, you’ll be able to protect yourself online, access a wider range of titles, and improve connection performance to ensure that you have the best gaming experience possible.