3 Ways VPN Can Improve Your Gaming

Over the past few decades, gaming has become a staple in millions of homes across the world. Whether you prefer the newest AAA launch on your console, an MMORPG on your computer, or casual games on your mobile device, there’s something for everyone when it comes to video games. Regardless of what you play, every game that connects to the internet requires the same thing: safety. One way to increase the security of your device while you game is to use a reliable VPN. Take a look at the many different ways VPN can improve your gaming.

1. Using a VPN Makes Gaming Safer

Unfortunately, there are times when the Internet can be a dangerous place. This rings especially true when it comes to online gaming. For years, gaming communities have dealt with serious cases of harassment and other threats to personal safety. Ever since the platform rose in popularity, Twitch gaming streamers have been the target of many attacks. Players in competitive online spaces have also seen a sizeable increase in the number of threats they encounter. No matter how or where you play, it’s never been more important to keep yourself safe while gaming. Take a look at the following threats that you can reduce with a reliable VPN.

Swatting

“Swatting” involves someone making a false call to authorities about a serious emergency and sending those authorities to someone else’s residence. The name refers to the practice of getting a SWAT team to show up at another person’s home. However, “swatting” can involve other types of authorities such as bomb squads or police. 

The false emergencies that “swatters” use often involve bomb threats or other similarly dangerous accusations. The act of “swatting” became a rare but notable attack from angry gamers that stalk other players following online matches. This can often occur after disputes or arguments within the community, as well. Commonly, the stalking that leads up to the “swatting” involves hacking social media profiles or tracking a victim’s IP address. 

The trend of “swatting” is dangerous and can result in serious harm for the victim. Recently, someone lost their life due to incorrect information leading authorities to another individual who was not the intended target. Although it can seem impossible to prevent this kind of attack, using a VPN can give you more security. With a VPN, you can hide your IP address and location to ensure that cybercriminals can’t track your activity. 

Unsafe Public Wi-Fi

In many cases, public Wi-Fi is unsafe. In order to make a Wi-Fi network publically accessible, providers need to adjust their security settings. These adjustments often result in lower security thresholds, making it easier for attackers to tap into an unsecured network. Once they’re inside, these attackers can steal private information from almost anyone on the network. This data can then be sold or used for identity theft and fraud. 

Short of avoiding free Wi-Fi altogether, your best security option is to use a VPN while on a public network. Spending the afternoon in a coffee shop and playing some mobile games? Getting in a quick PVP match before your flight and looking for some extra protection? Make sure you enable a VPN and connect to a secure router so that your public information isn’t accessible. Masking your IP address with a VPN can help your data remain secure both at home and on the go.

Cybersecurity Attacks

Some of the most notable risks in online gaming are malicious hackers and cybercriminals. These attackers prey on unsuspecting players by leveraging their weak Internet security to steal their data or infect their devices. By introducing robust encryption to your data with a VPN, you can protect yourself against malware attacks and more. 

Other common cybersecurity threats in the gaming community include DDoS and Man-in-the-Middle attacks. DDoS attacks are “distributed denials of service,” which involve software that floods a system with requests until it goes offline. With a VPN masking your IP address, it becomes easier to avoid these dangerous attacks. 

Man in the Middle attacks are common risks in online gaming spaces. These attacks involve a malicious hacker who can obtain data being sent between a device and the Internet. The cybercriminal acts as the “man in the middle” by stealing the information that is being sent. These attacks can easily give criminals access to financial information tied to your online gaming account such as Steam. 

2. VPNs Improve Your Gaming Speeds

Have you ever been in a competitive ranked match for your favorite game when, suddenly, a lag interrupts your combo? If so, you’re not alone. Lagging connection speeds are the biggest complaint among many online gamers. Since most modern games are built to integrate with online play, this issue affects millions of players around the world. It can be challenging to enjoy the latest AAA release from your favorite studio when you have a slow connection. Luckily, using a robust VPN can help.

Bandwidth throttling involves an ISP (Internet Service Provider) lowering the amount of available Internet bandwidth on a connection. Your ISP may throttle your bandwidth for a variety of reasons, such as reducing network congestion during certain times of the day. Some providers will throttle a connection if they detect high amounts of data transfers, which occur during online gaming. With a VPN, you can avoid bandwidth throttling by rerouting your IP address to another location and masking your activity. 

Another common issue in online gaming is lags and slow ping times. This issue typically occurs as a result of being far away from the server that is hosting the game. Using a VPN, you can route your IP address through a server near the game server and improve your gaming speeds.

3. Improve Your Gaming Protection on Every Device

Regardless of which platform you prefer to play games on, it’s important to keep all of your devices secure. Having just one unsafe device on your network can be the weak link that takes your entire network down. Even if you are a long-time PC gamer, you should still ensure that your mobile device and your router are also safe. Luckily, using a VPN can help make the process much easier. 

Protecting all of the devices on one network can be challenging but necessary. If you go from playing a PC game to a new console release, how can you protect your data? It’s simple: use a VPN that allows for simultaneous connections. Plus, did you know you can add a VPN to your router? Not only does this provide robust protection for all your devices, but it can also make your gaming safer.

Reliable VPN Security from PrivadoVPN

No matter how you choose to play video games, it’s necessary to ensure that your devices are safe and secure. With PrivadoVPN, you can rest assured knowing that your computer, phone, and even your router are safe from prying eyes. We offer our users reliable IP leak protection, encrypted global servers, and faster speeds. Plus, our Swiss-backed VPN and true Zero-Log guarantee mean that your activity is always safe and never tracked. 

Looking for more protection? Premium users receive access to unlimited monthly VPN data, SOCKS5 proxy integration, and 10 simultaneous connections on unlimited devices. Sign up now and get access to secure servers in 44 countries around the world with the push of a button.

Download the PrivadoVPN app and start protecting your private information online today.