A VPN is pretty much essential for anybody who wants to play games and access content online these days. While a Virtual Private Network was once the preserve of spies and nerds, it’s now an essential feature of any self …
A VPN is pretty much essential for anybody who wants to play games and access content online these days. While a Virtual Private Network was once the preserve of spies and nerds, it’s now an essential feature of any self respecting internet user’s setup.
VPNs work by routing your traffic through an anonymous server. A good VPN service, like Surfshark, will let you choose the location of that server, enabling you to access region-locked content.
Which is good because all those other countries have better Netflix than you.
There are several reasons for gamers in particular to use a VPN service such as Surfshark.
For one, access. If you want to play a game like Minecraft at university or during your lunch hour at work, chances are you can’t. Institutions use firewalls to protect their networks and restrict their users’ access to the time-wasting joys of the internet.
This is all very well when there’s work to be done, but everybody deserves a break. Really – it’s the law. And what’s a break if you can’t indulge in your favorite hobby?
There are all sorts of workarounds and hacks for installing forbidden games, such as tweaking URLs, finding alternative sources, and seeking out unlicensed clones. But these methods come with risks, and hardly ever work as well as you want them to.
So download a VPN. As far as your network is concerned you’ll become invisible, freeing you up to play your favorite games unfettered.
Of course, firewall-evasion is far from the only reason to install a VPN. Wherever you are, a VPN will make your location anonymous. Your IP address is a huge clue as to your real world location, so hiding it is a no-brainer. The last thing you want is a disgruntled opponent turning up on your street, or sending a SWAT team in with a hoax call.
There are security benefits beyond that, too. A decent VPN will not only hide your IP, but encrypt your communications and prevent other players from stealing your data.
A VPN will also let you play games that are banned or simply not yet available in your territory. You can buy games more cheaply, too, by taking advantage of regional price variations, or gain early access to games that are being released in other countries before yours.
Plus, with a VPN you can play with friends on different servers, access games on public wi-fi, download torrents, and generally enjoy complete privacy online.
If you haven’t boarded the VPN train yet, don’t let price be a factor. There are some incredible offers out there, such as this Surfshark subscription for the negligible sum of £1.49 a month.
Get on it now.
