Can a VPN Reduce Ping and Improve Gaming? A UK Gamer's Guide to VPNs

The relationship between VPNs and gaming is frequently misunderstood. Some claim a VPN will dramatically reduce your ping, while others say it will ruin your gaming experience. The reality, as usual, lies somewhere in between and depends heavily on your specific circumstances.

How VPNs Affect Gaming Performance

A VPN routes your internet traffic through an intermediary server before it reaches its destination. In theory, this additional hop should increase latency (ping), because your data travels a longer distance. In practice, the effect depends on several factors.

When a VPN Can Reduce Ping

A VPN can reduce ping when your ISP uses inefficient routing. ISPs do not always route traffic along the shortest path. If your ISP routes your gaming traffic through unnecessary intermediate points, a VPN server with a more direct route to the game server can actually reduce latency.

This is more common than you might think. UK ISPs sometimes route traffic through congested exchange points, particularly during peak hours. A VPN server with premium peering arrangements can bypass these bottlenecks, resulting in lower ping times.

A VPN can also help if your ISP throttles gaming traffic. Some ISPs implement traffic shaping that prioritises or de-prioritises certain types of traffic. If your ISP slows down gaming packets during busy periods, a VPN prevents this by encrypting your traffic so your ISP cannot identify it as gaming data.

When a VPN Increases Ping

In most scenarios, a VPN will add 1-10ms of latency when connecting to a nearby server. For casual gaming, this is imperceptible. For competitive esports players, even small latency increases can be noticeable.

Connecting to a distant VPN server will significantly increase ping. If you are a UK gamer connecting to a UK game server through a US VPN server, your ping will increase substantially because your traffic must cross the Atlantic twice.

Best VPN Settings for UK Gaming

If you decide to use a VPN for gaming, optimise your setup by connecting to the VPN server closest to the game server. For UK-hosted games, use a UK VPN server. Use the WireGuard protocol, as it offers the lowest overhead and fastest connection times. Disable features you do not need while gaming, such as ad blockers and split tunnelling.

VPNs for Accessing Regional Game Content

Beyond performance, VPNs offer practical benefits for UK gamers. Some games release earlier in certain regions, and a VPN can allow you to access the game when it launches in that region. Game prices vary by region on platforms like Steam, though purchasing from other regions may violate terms of service.

VPNs can also bypass IP bans if you have been unfairly banned from a game server, and access games or content that is not available in the UK due to licensing restrictions.

Protection Against DDoS Attacks

For UK gamers who stream on Twitch or compete in tournaments, DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) protection is a significant benefit of using a VPN. DDoS attacks flood your IP address with traffic, causing your connection to become unusable. By hiding your real IP address behind a VPN, attackers cannot target you directly.

This protection is particularly valuable for competitive players, streamers, and anyone whose real IP address might be exposed through peer-to-peer game connections.

The Best VPNs for UK Gamers

Based on our speed and latency testing, the best VPNs for UK gaming are NordVPN, for its exceptional speeds and low latency on the NordLynx protocol, ExpressVPN, for consistent performance and Lightway protocol, and Surfshark, for unlimited devices covering your gaming PC, console, and mobile.

Compare these and other options using our VPN comparison tool to find the best provider for your gaming needs, filtering by speed score and latency performance.

The Verdict on VPNs and Gaming

For most UK gamers, a VPN will have minimal impact on performance when configured correctly. The added benefits of DDoS protection, ISP throttling bypass, and regional content access make a VPN a worthwhile addition to your gaming setup. Choose a fast provider, connect to a nearby server, and use WireGuard for the best results.