CDN in the gaming industry 

Whether you play games or not, the gaming industry grows rapidly every year. Since most modern games include advanced graphic details, the download size sometimes exceeds 100 GB. Even though this might not seem a lot, many casual gamers might lose patience and decide not to install the game. Post-game downloads are common since updates are necessary for improvements and bug fixes. 

Another thing to mention is speed, which is essential for every online game. For example, FPS (first-person shooters) games are fast-paced, so every millisecond of lag is a huge problem for gamers.  

CDN (Content Delivery Network) might be the perfect solution since it solves both problems. With a global network of servers, the content is cached as close as possible to the player. The end result is a faster download, improved performance, and security.

Improved download speed 

We already discussed the download size before and after installation. Although the download process is inevitable, it should be as fast as possible.  

The capacity of CDN servers is improved with PoPs (Points of Presence) all around the world.  

For example, when the player requests to download the game, the content is pulled from the origin server. Before the content is delivered, it is cached on the closest server to the user. This is very important since the next player will have faster access to the cached content as there is no need to pull the same content from the origin server again. The final result is a significantly faster download speed for every new player located close to the server with cached content (game).

CDN for performance 

No matter the location, one of the main goals is to deliver high performance for every gamer. Bad performance hurts the player base due to the decreased user experience. 

Choosing a proper CDN for gaming that delivers an adequate performance will make a huge difference. With an ultra-fast content delivery and stable connection, there is no need to worry about the drop in the player base due to the performance. 

CDN works perfectly even for areas prone to connectivity issues. The distribution of servers reduces lag and delivers content consistently even if the server goes down as long as the  CDN server's cache hasn't expired.

Solving the server placement 

The server placement for a gaming company is not a simple decision since complete coverage is required. In other words,  every player, no matter the region, must have a smooth gaming experience without lag or similar issues.  

Here is where the CDN superiority comes at the top since it provides the most effective server coverage all over the world.  The CDN service completely solves this problem since there is no need to worry about an additional investment. The only thing to consider is the CDN service worth the price.

Security factor 

Today, the security standard for every application is higher, due the same applies to games. In order to stay competitive in the market, companies must provide a maximum level of security. 

CDN provides advanced protection, which is combined with an outstanding performance to provide a great user experience.  The most popular games are often targets of DDoS attacks as well as other malicious attacks. CDN prevents DDoS attacks on the gaming server and increases the resource pool if needed. 

The result is a great user experience, satisfied customers, and increased revenue.

The best CDN for gaming 

Some might ask which is the best CDN for gaming?  

The answer to that question is not simple, as some CDNs will perform better than others. In reality, to choose the best CDN,  detailed research is unavoidable. Knowing the locations of the majority of players makes the decision easier. If CDN servers are properly placed, the only thing to consider is the price of the CDN service. The best CDN is the one that meets the player's needs.

Make sure to check out our other tech blog posts!