Let the (online) games begin – at the Edge

As consumers play to win, edge cloud helps to deliver gaming experiences faster and with higher performance to ensure lively and fulfilling digital experiences

- JATINDER KHURANA

When milliseconds mean the difference between victory and defeat to millions of gamers, it’s no longer just a battle for bandwidth – it’s a competition for the ‘fittest and fastest’ network. With the rise of advanced multi-player online gaming coupled with the arrival of cloud gaming and surge of gamers simultaneously live-streaming every day, it’s time for networks to level-up. This has been further accelerated by the pandemic forcing indoor stays with limited alternative sources of entertainment, giving online games an even faster rise to popularity. From Fortnite to PUBG’s Battleground Mobile India to Grand Theft Auto, the experiences young gamers have depends on a network that can adapt.

India’s online gaming will grow at a CAGR of 40% to reach a multi-billion-dollar market by next year, with 85% of online gaming on mobile devices and rest on gaming laptop/PCs or fixed gaming consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, according to Deloitte.

Let the games begin – at the edge

Online games involve continuous interaction and almost real-time feedback, which requires low latency. ‘The game’ responds to the players’actions or commands, which must travel back and forth over the network to be processed quickly by gaming servers at the nearest data center. This sense of real-time immersion is what makes a game engaging while a few milliseconds of additional delay can lead to frustration among players.