The best VPNs can improve your gaming experience in a variety of ways.
Playing video games online is usually a way for people to relax, but there are always threats lurking around on the internet. Between sore losers looking to ruin their opponent’s day to government censors blocking certain titles, there are all sorts of obstacles that gamers should remain aware of. Some just want to play with foreign friends but can’t due to developer region locks. This is where virtual private networks like Private Internet Access come into play.
A VPN is a computer program that tricks the internet into thinking the computer is located somewhere other than where it really is. For example, a Canadian user can use a VPN to trick websites and games into thinking they are actually in Hong Kong. Relocation can also be used on a much smaller scale, like an American in New York pretending to be from California. This might not seem useful at first, but it both protects the user from other players and opens up access to new games and opportunities.
Private Internet Access is the among the best gaming VPNs for a few reasons. First, it understands the importance of low ping. PIA’s massive network is designed to allow safe connections while maintaining low ping. It’s also arguably the most customizable VPN on the market. The company seems to understand that gamers are more computer-savvy than most and may want to customize their connection. Lastly, it runs entirely on open source technology. Anyone can look under the hood and verify PIA’s safety for themselves.
The most important advantage of a gaming VPN is protection from targeted attacks. Many games incidentally reveal the IP address of connected players. Sore losers can use that information to initiate distributed denial-of-service attacks towards another player. DDoS attacks can slow your computer to a crawl, eat through your data plan, and even shut down your computer entirely. By using a VPN, the hacker will send attacks at the node you’re connected to instead of your actual computer. This is especially important for those looking to get into streaming, as they are particularly vulnerable to this sort of online attack.
This system also allows gamers to circumvent government, network, and service provider censorship. As an example, some university internet networks block certain websites and gaming platforms. An engineering or computer science student could become unable to access Steam or the Epic Games Store due to these blockers. By using a VPN, the data is retrieved by an external computer and then sent to yours. This is also a good way to get around region locks in MMORPGs or mobile games. You can even compare prices between different regions.
Another important factor to consider for online gaming is ping. Being too far away from a certain server can cause jittery gameplay, especially in real-time genres like first-person shooters or MOBAs. Some VPNs can greatly increase ping and make certain games unplayable, but Private Internet Access’ massive network allows gamers to keep their ping low thanks to their nearby servers. And if throttling is a concern, a VPN like Private Internet Access can keep your protected.
When you consider each of these factors, it’s easy to understand why so many gamers seek out and use VPNs. And Private Internet Access has clearly established itself among the premier VPNs to use.
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