How 5G could transform the gaming landscape

While some of us cross our fingers for 4G in our area, the rest of the world is galloping ahead. 5G promises faster speeds, lower latency, and greater capacity. If you’re a regular reader, then I’ll go out on a limb and assume you’re in favour of the rollout of 5G technology. But what does it mean for the world of gaming? We’re going to take a look at exactly how 5G works, as well as the sub-sectors within the gaming industry that will benefit.

Understanding 5G

We’ve got to start somewhere, and understanding what 5G is seems like a good place. 4G can offer speeds of up to one gigabit per second, whereas 5G can multiply this by 10. Latency is slashed between 20 and 30 times, to just one millisecond. Have you ever been video calling someone only for their face to freeze and their words to stutter? A millisecond is imperceptible – that simply won’t happen anymore. The same applies when you’re in a crucial moment in a video game – perhaps paused ready to shoot – that dreaded lag will be a thing of the past. So, how is the gaming industry going to benefit? Besides more shots on target!

Stopping those missed shots

As we mentioned, for gamers, latency is often the difference between victory and defeat. High latency (like we see with 4G and indeed fibre broadband) can result in frustrating lag, where your actions are delayed. This obviously causes issues in fast-paced games where timing is crucial – so, almost all of the big ones. With 5G’s ultra-low latency, you can expect a significantly more responsive experience.

As well as this, 5G’s increased bandwidth means that all the things you need to download games, updates, patches, etc. can be completed in a fraction of the time it would’ve taken with 4G. It means less waiting, more playing. Never a bad thing.

Cloud gaming

The cloud gaming revolution is very much underway, but 5G is going to make it even more powerful. Instead of relying on powerful local hardware, cloud gaming allows you to stream games from remote servers. It’s already popular in mobile gaming with Netflix hopping on board. Currently, cloud gaming is only hindered by what is achievable via 4G and broadband but, with the wider rollout of 5G, everybody could enjoy this technology the way it was intended to be enjoyed. This effectively democratises gaming, making high-end gaming experiences more accessible to a broader audience.

Elevating multiplayer and eSports

Multiplayer gaming and eSports are super exciting sectors. The growth of both has been nothing short of explosive. However, these games require a strong and stable internet connection. Some players simply don’t have that – and the ones that do (as we covered a little already) can use that to their advantage. 5G would enable all players to connect and play without performance being impacted. This could pave the way for even more intricate and complex games, creating worlds that we might never have thought possible before.

The stakes are never higher than in the realms of eSports. Here, players aren’t just playing for props, they’re playing sometimes for millions of dollars. Plus, the whole thing is usually being streamed to millions of people at home too. 5G offers not just an internet solution for the players, but a solution for the streaming services too. If live broadcasting of these events is the future (hint: it is) then 5G could make that future possible – with high resolution and no interruptions.

Fostering game development innovation

Online casinos are often at the forefront of innovation and 5G has allowed even more room for that. Some casinos have used increased bandwidth to offer augmented reality experiences to their customers, while others have used it to host larger games (with more players) than previously possible. Those who play bingo online in Canada might have noticed that the bingo chatrooms seem busier and the community seems larger. This is a hugely important facet of the bingo experience, so the fact that better internet is making this possible is a huge leap.

The other area where online casinos have made huge strides is within the live dealer sphere. These games require impressive bandwidth to stream properly, as the streams are live. Being able to simultaneously provide a livestream of a real croupier to players (potentially) all over the world is no mean feat. It will be exciting to see where video game developers take their creativity next.

Addressing challenges

Despite its promise, the rollout of 5G comes with challenges. One of the primary concerns is the infrastructure required to support the technology. The deployment of new cell towers and upgrading existing network infrastructure represents a substantial investment. Moreover, there is the issue of ensuring equitable access to 5G technology. In many rural and underserved areas, the benefits of 5G may be delayed due to slower infrastructure development.