VPN For Gaming: Is It Really Worth It?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are an essential tool to improve anonymity and online privacy is concerned.

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How do VPNs work?

Ideally, when you are browsing the internet, data is sent from your device to the desired website and back. With a VPN, instead of sending or receiving data directly, encrypted data is first tunneled to a VPN server which then sends the data to the desired internet website on your behalf.

VPNs receive feedbacks from the internet first, and then they relay the same to you. This process of intermediary ensures that your real IP address remains anonymous, and this allows you to access content in every country that your provider has a server whether there are existing restrictions or not.

Is a VPN connection helpful to a gamer?

Yes. If you want to continue gaming like a pro, then you will find a VPN for gaming very helpful. And yes, I know you may be skeptical since gaming is not illegal and you probably don’t care about who finds out whether you are gaming or not.

Here are some of the reasons why individuals are seeking VPN solutions to maximize their gaming experiences.

●     Protection against cyber attacks

Cybercriminals know that gamers share a great deal of their personal information online. They are always scheming ways of maximizing on the loopholes that may exist on your gaming network.

In 2012, Gamigo, a German-based online gaming platform was under attack. The hackers were able to access over 10 million passwords and their email addresses. Gamigo acknowledged that usernames and other personal data had been compromised during the attack.

To protect yourself from similar attacks, a VPN might be handy as it prevents unauthorized parties from accessing your information or tracing your location. Imagine the amount of login information that could be stolen from you if someone accessed your network without your authorization. A VPN works to prevent this, and sure enough, if an attacker cannot trace you, he cannot steal from you.

●     Bypassing censorship

Different countries have different agencies tasked with overseeing that their residents do not access some content. Publishers across the world are not allowed to display content that the government of a country deems as inappropriate.

In other cases, the content has to go through multiple censorships before you are allowed access. Never mind that this content might just be a new game release.

With a VPN in place, you will be able to bypass all these restrictions by anonymously connecting to a server in the country where you need to access the content from. Think of the benefits this brings you! First, you can stay ahead of everybody else at home, enjoy better prices, and explore games that are not available back at home.

●     Shields you from DDoS attacks

Hackers can launch a series of distributed denial of service attacks against gaming consoles like the PS4 and Xbox. The attacks affect your gaming session by disrupting the services which can interfere with some of the latest releases.

Gaming on a VPN ensures that no such attack is launched against you allowing you to enjoy your game to the last minute.

How to choose a VPN for gaming

Even if you only need it for gaming, a VPN will offer you the added advantage of general security. As such, there is a need to use a reliable one. Free VPNs are a no go zone. There is no such thing, and even the one that claims to be free has other hidden ways of making money from you, including selling your data to interested third parties such as advertising agencies.

Quality encryption is one of the things to look out for. If the VPN will be installed on your router, then it will be offering security for all your internet communications, such as your internet banking profiles, your files, etc. Therefore, quality encryption is a must.

The VPN service should not affect the speed of your connections. The process of encryption involves tunneling data through a server and if unchecked, this can limit your bandwidth. VPNs with many server locations can offer better services.

VPN providers have introduced products that have tailor-made designs aimed at enhancing your gaming experience. Try one today to enjoy an out-of-this-world gaming experience.