It is important to choose a reliable game server hosting provider that meets your client’s requirements to provide a satisfying gaming experience. Inadequate server infrastructure can lead to poor performance and a loss of players. When choosing a game server hosting provider, there are three important factors to keep in mind.
- What kind of tournament are you hosting?
- Which is the residence of your players?
- What game server hardware do you need?
1. What kind of tournament are you hosting?
There are three basic types of games: Single-Player, Synchronous Multiplayer, and Asynchronous Multiplayer.
1. The first type of game is the least resource-intensive on your server: Single-Player games:
These games can have rich graphics and expansive “worlds,” but they don’t have the same low latency connections as multiplayer games. Most single-player games don’t send back much information to your server, apart from occasional purchases or rankings.
2. The second type of game requires a bit more input from your game server infrastructure: Asynchronous multiplayer games:
Turn-based games such as Words With Friends involve players interacting with each other, but not in a real-time way. While actions aren’t as time-sensitive as they are in quick-fire shooters, the server does still need to receive and send each player’s actions.
3. Synchronous multiplayer games
Synchronous multiplayer games like Fortnite or CS: GO have two or more players playing in real time. These games require powerful servers to maintain low-latency networks for real-time gaming. It is essential to choose a server that can handle the demands of this fast-paced game.
Game server infrastructure will depend on the type of game you are developing. If you have a game that is suitable for P2P networking, you don’t need to worry about game hosting. You can connect directly to your players’ computers without having to worry about game server hosting. However, if you are hosting games like Minecraft, CS: GO, or any other game, you will need a dedicated game server that can provide you with the computing resources you need to run the game effectively and provide an outstanding experience for your players.
2. Which is the residence of your players
Latency is the amount of time it takes for data to travel between the game hosting server and your players.
- Where are your players?
- Are they spread across one or two countries or are they spread across the world?
Knowing where your players are very important when choosing the right game server hosting solution for you. In the world of gaming, speed is the most important factor. Game servers are vulnerable to latency. Players enjoy the best gaming experience when latency is less than 60-100ms when they are playing together.
Lower latency in gaming means a better gaming experience because the game information is transmitted faster. When a player complains about “lag”, it means that their experience is being affected by high latency due to their game hosting server setup.
The quickest way to reduce latency is to place the game server infrastructure near your players. Even if your data is being sent over fiber optic cables at lightning speed, the extra physical distance increases latency. Sending data between London and Paris is much quicker than sending data between London and New York because the distance between the two locations is shorter.
If you want your players to have a consistently high-quality experience, you need them to be close to your game server infrastructure. If you have a worldwide player base, choose a game server host with a global network of data centers.
3. What game server hardware do you need?
When planning to host a game server, it is crucial to consider the appropriate infrastructure specifications that can provide a quick and smooth gaming experience. While most cloud server providers offer high-end hardware with low-end multi-core CPUs for regular business computing, there might be more suitable options for high-end gaming.
To optimize your gaming server hosting package, it is recommended to use a multi-core CPU. While it is possible to run multiple instances of your game server application on a single hardware or dedicated server, it is important to ensure that you allocate sufficient RAM to each core.
Conclusion
Choosing the perfect game server hosting can be a thrilling decision that can enhance your players’ gaming experience. By considering the game type, players’ location, and hardware requirements, you can make an informed and exciting choice. A trustworthy game server hosting provider can offer you not only top-notch infrastructure but also support and guidance to create the perfect gaming environment. So, let’s get excited and happy about finding the perfect game server hosting partner!