Every aspect of technological entertainment has evolved a lot during the years, and videogames are no exception. Two decades ago, video games were on a whole different level than they are nowadays. The technological advancement didn’t just help to improve the visual experience, but gave birth to the next stage of video games – online gaming.
Online gaming not only lets players compete each other on a global scale, but also allows them to create online communities. This new phenomenon also helps game developers to create the ultimate gaming experience. But when it comes to a highly anticipated game launch and DLC, relying on gaming servers is often not enough. We’ve seen various platforms crash and fast delivery performance that ensures the fastest transmission of data between clients and servers is a must. A CDN is bound to put online games at the Internet’s major peering points, eliminating latency and delivering it directly to the end user. Fastest delivery goes for web apps, mobile games and large video games alike.
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Games are becoming quite popular on mobile devices such as smartphones as well. With games like Angry Birds and Temple Run, mobile gaming is just as addictive as any other platform and the results don’t lie; there’s money to be made. The mediums which gamers use to fulfill their playing desires varies from PC/laptop to actual gaming consoles such as Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Since the introduction and the popularization of tablets a few years ago, the mobility potential exploded. Tablets, being much like smartphones-minus the phone-are now a great and popular mobile device. With the ability to support apps, tools and games, this device is a real asset to mobile device users.
The online game industry global revenue was $19B back in 2011. The revenue is expected to reach $86.1B in 2016. That means that the global revenue in online video games has grown 4.5 times in just 5 years. As more and more players join the online gaming phenomenon, delivering rich multimedia becomes harder; this is where a CDN steps in.
4 top problems that have emerged due to the increase of online gamers:
- server crashes
- latency (lagging)
- security attacks
- download failures
Reliable and secure connections
Reliable and secure connections are crucial for online game sites, as they need to support growing global client databases and generate revenue; performance needs to be at the highest level. User expectations have significantly grown over the last decade – users expect responsive and quick games that are safe to play. A content delivery network solves all of the issues listed above. Facebook integration with all Facebook apps are a must have these days. When it comes to fast delivery, these are the 3 top benefits of hiring a CDN for your online gaming industry business:
Fast downloads for mobile games
Fast downloads for mobile games – global coverage allows users to download mobile games as fast as possible, despite their geographical location. Outdated files can be removed with instant purge, and fast replication times allow fast apps and updates uploads.
Fast delivery for web app games
Fast delivery for web app games – fast app load is critical for nowadays online gaming. A CDN provides optimized routing performance, allowing users the fastest delivery possible.
Fastest game downloads
Fastest game downloads – hiring a CDN gives a business optimal throughput performance needed for fast downloads, despite the file size or traffic sprites. Fast replication times allow updates to be pushed in seconds, raising user experience,as users get the updates downloaded without any delay.
Minimal or no lag time
Minimal or no lag time – minimizing lag time around the world, including in the most challenging markets. An excellent and memorable online gaming experience requires a lightning-fast round trip back to the gaming server. This is impossible with traditional web hosts, and building a global network is beyond the scope of all but the largest companies. A real-time, lag-free, up-to-date gaming experience will grow your audience and keep them playing longer – which means a stronger brand and an even stronger bottom line.
Security
Security – secure downloads block all unauthorized downloads and control access to subscription content.
Streaming video, gaming, and consumption of other online media continues to grow. As demand increases, consumers’ expectations of the quality, reliability, and speed of these online experiences are also rising and online game sites must satisfy large audiences who have a low tolerance for lagging and timeouts. A content delivery network gives online gaming businesses a maximum level of performance and security that is needed for great user experience that reflects in customer satisfaction and revenue increase; a win-win situation.
