Online gaming is a fun entertainment alternative that more and more people are turning to. While it comes with various options that can keep people interested for ages, there are always some modifications that can be made in order to keep the player protected. For example, using a VPN comes with multiple benefits when engaging in online gaming. Read on to learn more about what a VPN is and how to use it to your advantage.
What is a VPN?
For starters, let’s go over what a VPN is. VPN means “Virtual Private Network” and is a tool that helps to ensure your internet privacy. It works by encrypting your connection and keeping your online location hidden. Simply put, your actual IP address, is masked and whatever online activity you engage in, your movements will remain a mystery.
Moreover, VPNs can be installed on all sorts of devices, from mobile phones to desktop computers, which means that you can be protected regardless of your location. So, for example, if you want to play live casino in NZ, you don’t ever need to leave your home and you can play these games even if you don’t currently live in New Zealand. With that in mind, let’s move on to all the amazing benefits of VPNs when gaming online.
Your information will be private
First and foremost, you can rest assured that your information will be protected when using a VPN to play. While privacy might not be your top priority when gaming, you still need to ensure no private information is compromised by third parties. For instance, when you share your name, email, address, and bank account information, you are vulnerable to attacks, especially if you’re gaming on public Wi-Fi. These are often not encrypted, which opens you up to hackers. By using a VPN, your information stays private.
You can access games that are region-locked
Perhaps you’ve heard of VPNs through people that use them to watch Netflix or similar streaming platforms and gain access to content that otherwise would be unavailable to them. This happens when certain content is region-locked (often due to rights issues in a given territory). This can also happen with games. While some platforms like Steam ban the use of VPNs, some websites are more open to the practice. That means that you can access games that were not yet released in your country or even those that might have been banned. Keep in mind that some titles use your location to create a customized experience, which might then be altered due to the use of a VPN.
You can join game servers in other areas
Furthermore, it’s not uncommon to see multiplayer games use region-based servers to group players together. For example, in case you’re visiting the US but still want to play with your European crowd, you can use a VPN to connect to a server of your choice. You will be given a new IP address that will make it easy to access the server you want. Although most games are available all over the world, you can use this to customize your experience further.
Your internet connection might not be throttled
While adding an extra layer of protection by using a VPN might slightly slow down your internet speed, it should not be too noticeable unless you decide to use a server that is really far away. Even though this might be a disadvantage, you’ll be glad to hear that it comes with benefits as well. It’s possible that your internet service provider will intentionally reduce your internet speed if they notice high amounts of streaming or gaming – this is called bandwidth throttling. If you’ve noticed this, you can get around it by using a VPN. However, keep in mind that it cannot prevent this completely as the provider will still see the amount of bandwidth you’re using.
You could evade IP bans
A VPN can also be used to evade an IP ban. If you’ve been banned for cheating or violating some terms of service, hindering access to your account temporarily or permanently. In case you’ve been unreasonably banned from a server, a VPN can get you around it and allow you to play the game as usual. That being said, some publishers don’t allow VPNs at all, so you might also get banned for using one.
You could avoid DDoS attacks
Finally, a VPN can be extremely useful should a DDoS attack be carried out. DDoS or distributed denial of service happens when a hacker identifies your (or a server’s) IP address and overloads it so that it can no longer be used. VPNs cannot prevent large-scale attacks but could protect you as an individual. A VPN will hide your IP address so that no one can target you and make you lose the game. However, keep in mind that the odds of you being targeted as a regular player are slim.
As you can see, there are many benefits to using a VPN when gaming online. There are many available VPN options to choose from, and with some research under your belt, you can decide which one suits your online activities best and make the most of it.
