Benefits and Downsides of Using a Gaming VPN
Here’s a complete overview of the main benefits and downsides of using a VPN for gaming: Pros:
Increased security and privacy Faster connectivity Access to geo-blocked games Lowers the ping while gaming Enables players to surpass IP bans
Cons:
Choosing a VPN that keeps logs could be dangerous
So, it’s also very important which particular VPN you choose for this purpose, as VPNs that keep logging info could be used to track your connections and steal your info by hackers.
Main Reasons for Using Gaming VPNs
Before joining an online multiplayer game, you must be familiar with the reasons why you need a VPN for gaming. Below, you’ll find the main reasons why our industry experts consider gaming VPNs a solid solution for online game platforms. Regardless of whether you play Call of Duty Black Ops, PUBG, CS:GO, or use a VPN for League of Legends, these are the main reasons behind the decision.
1. Speed-Up your Gaming
One of the things that may slow down your gaming connection is bandwidth throttling. This is what your ISP could do if they can track down your gaming actions to slow down the connection to prevent the whole internet network from slowing down. Luckily, with a proper VPN that hides your activities with an additional layer of encryption, you will be able to avoid bandwidth throttling. In this case, the internet speed and gaming connection will usually be higher when compared to online gaming without using a VPN.
2. Maintain Anonymity and Privacy
Let’s face it – we all love playing online games by using every opportunity to connect to the game servers while having an official gaming account. Still, it could cause you trouble if hackers can break into your account and find your personal information available. Using a VPN adds another level of security and helps you remain anonymous while playing online. This can be done through several layers of encryption that act as a block set up by a VPN service to prevent hackers from accessing your real IP address and account details.
3. Reduced Ping while Gaming Online
To maintain smooth and fast gaming, you need to reduce the ping as much as possible to prevent any lags. Luckily, by using a proper VPN for online gaming, you can reduce the ping as the gaming response time for the best experience and fast online gameplay. According to VPNcheck.org, by using a VPN to reduce the ping, you can avoid bandwidth throttling as well as other potential speed-reduction flaws. These also include the direct streaming flow, while choosing a VPN server location near you can also result in smooth gaming without any lag.
4. Access to Geo-Blocked Games
Sadly, some games enable only players from country-specific areas to create an account and play online. The good news is – you can access even geo-restricted games through a solid VPN connection if you pick a server from the approved region for the game. Of course, it could result in slightly lower speed if you connect to a server that’s too far from your location, but it still enables you to enjoy the game. As you bypass the geo-restrictions, you can even access the latest updates of online games that wouldn’t be available for your region originally.
5. Play Beyond the IP Bans
There’s also the scenario of being banned on certain online games, and you can surpass the ban by using a gaming VPN (read more). In this case, your real IP address based on which the ban was conducted will be replaced with a new one. Depending on your server location, you can even create a new account and proceed to play regardless of the passed ban on your account. Since some account bans can even last for months, this is your best option in case an unfortunate ban occurs.
6. Prevent the DDoS attacks
Another benefit of using a gaming VPN is that you can prevent a DDoS attack on your system. More accurately, this is where a hacker may try to overflow your connection with system requests to force your system to go offline. Your gaming experience would certainly be ruined, so masking your real IP address with a VPN can prevent this from happening. Having in mind the broad availability of DDoS software, it’s a safe bet to use a VPN to prevent such a possibility.
Use a VPN and Enjoy Safe Gaming
Ultimately, there are many benefits of using a VPN while gaming online, as well as a few drawbacks. Still, if you follow this guide, you should be able to overcome these drawbacks and enjoy immersive gameplay and a fast gaming experience. There are numerous reasons why a player would need a gaming VPN, and hopefully, this guide covers the essence. The rest is up to you when it comes to picking the best possible VPN service for hiding your IP address and preventing security breaches or information thefts.
