Why A Good Network Is More Important Than You Think For Gaming Today

With technological advances, our lives have become infinitely more comfortable and colorful than we may have imagined 50 years ago. In this digital era, the Internet rules everything, and gaming is no exception. Games have grown way beyond the confines of our humble PC or console; a realm of possibilities opens the moment you plug in the Internet. But the question remains, is your Internet good enough?

And no, I’m not just talking about high-speed downloads. Imagine this scenario. You’ve just bought your dream PC with the best hardware around. You boot up the latest Call of Duty, and suddenly your connection gives you the worst lag possible, instantly killing your “good streak”. How would you feel? Crushed and devastated, I’m sure. This is just my opening statement. The rest’s to come, so bear with me.

The Boons Of Mesh Networks

If you’ve been in this situation sometime, you might’ve wondered, “I got the best plan from my ISP, why is this happening?” To answer this, the problem usually occurs within your home. A single router can’t evenly cover multiple floors, brick walls, or a basement gaming setup. The result is lag spikes, rubber-banding, and the kind of dropped connections that make competitive games unbearable.

Even multiple devices stacked on top of each other in one room can compete for bandwidth, especially if someone else in the house is a tough customer (sibling rivalries featuring the Internet). For gamers, that unevenness can become a nightmare. This is where a mesh wifi system comes into play. Instead of relying on one router, mesh setups use multiple nodes that talk to each other.

In 2023/2024, is there any reason NOT to be buying a mesh network?
byu/puremojo inHomeNetworking

The system blankets the space so that no single spot gets left in the dead zone. For gaming, this means fewer interruptions and a smoother experience. It also helps when there’s competing demand, since the traffic can be balanced more intelligently. Of course, Ethernet remains the gold standard for connection strength, but a mesh setup is the closest wifi can get, and it reaches even systems outside cable ranges.

The Rise of Cloud and Cross-Platform Gaming

If you still think connection stability is a needless expenditure, let me throw in a little more evidence. As you know, gaming isn’t confined to a single console anymore. Slowly, but surely, we’re shifting towards a “Play Anywhere” world. Already, we have cloud services and game streaming options that rely solely on your network strength, regardless of your hardware.

The existence of cloud streaming and the option to play AAA standard games on any device reinforce just how important a stable connection is. In the future, with improvements in internet connectivity, streaming and digital gaming may be the only options left. In that era, a strong connection will be synonymous with good hardware; bad internet will mean a ton of lag and disconnection.

Even today, stuff like cross-play and always-on connectivity are becoming commonplace. Besides, you wouldn’t want to be the person who holds back the team in a crucial moment, right? A weak connection doesn’t just affect personal performance; it disrupts the flow of communication with teammates and makes you a burden. Imagine being the guy who gets killed due to bad internet and is then blamed for the loss of the match. 

Latency Shapes The Experience

In this modern era of online gaming, latency is even more important than download speeds. It’s easy to focus on the latter because that’s what service providers advertise, but even a connection with blazing-fast downloads will feel sluggish during gaming if the ping is high. Even small delays can mean the difference between landing a shot and missing it entirely.

This is even more relevant when you consider the direction the gaming world is moving towards. As we yearn for comfort in gaming and opt for handheld devices like mobiles, latency becomes even more important. Many mobile games are designed to be played in short bursts, but they rely on quick, stable connections for matchmaking and updates.

The new event is impossible if you have bad Internet.
byu/Theemperorofbricks inGenshin_Impact

If you’re using your phone to stream AAA games, a connection lag will mean fps drops and hiccups even in single-player titles. Thus, the need to invest in your connection stability.

Preparing For The Future Of Gaming

To conclude, a strong internet connection not only has vast uses now, but also has even higher future implications. As VR and AR experiences start pushing more data in real time, and as titles lean into massive online worlds with persistent updates, networks will face bigger loads. What is a frustrating lag and low latency today will become the inability to even play the game in the future.

All these points reaffirm the glaring need to invest in a good network setup. It’s no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity. Today, it will improve your online gaming, but tomorrow, you’ll be thankful and relieved that you made this decision.