Online gaming takes on many forms these days. Most of the first online games were RPGs or first-person shooters, with Quake being the first multiplayer FPS.
These days, however, online gaming takes many forms. Minecraft is the most popular game ever released with over 200 million units sold to date and revolves around survival and creation rather than shooting other players.
Partly due to the pandemic, online gaming in all forms has become more popular. As people were stuck indoors last year they started to play new and different games from before. Mobile games players can play in online poker tournaments or battle it out on the beaches of Normandy.
Even browser games, previously the preserve of gamers with poor hardware are getting in on the action. Drifted.com crowned Drift Hunters the #1 browser drifting game of 2021 against stiff competition.
Online casinos also grew popular last year and people are using their mobile devices and computers to play a diverse range of games from blackjack to RPGs.
If you are one of these newer players, what technology do you need to invest in to make the most of online gaming?
What type of player are you?
Are you happy playing on mobile devices, or do you want to play more sophisticated games? Do you want to play in an online casino with a live dealer, real players, and win at poker, or are you looking to roam the wild west in Red Dead Redemption 2?
The kind of equipment you need will depend on what games you want to play, and how serious you are. Here are some game genres you might want to consider and the specs they require.
Online casino games
The popularity of online casino games has grown massively over the last few years but 2020 saw a whole new group of players arriving. With traditional casinos closed, regular players started to explore the opportunities of gambling online while others who had never been to a casino before chose to sign-up as first-time players.
The range of casino igre or games online can appeal to a wide audience from card players to slot machine fans. What games, and how you play them will dictate what technology you require.
For many poker games or slots, a mobile device is plenty powerful enough. If you were interested in the live casinos with real-life dealers or wanted to explore Virtual Reality casinos then you will need something a bit more powerful.
First person shooters and RPGs
For many, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is the only game that matters. It is hugely popular in esports circles and so far has the biggest prize pool ever with over $14 million.
In fact, the esports market revenue is over $1 billion a year so this is a very important area of online gaming. Casinos are also interested in the future of esports and some have or are building esport arenas in Las Vegas.
The sophistication of many FPS and RPG games means a player needs a much better setup than they would for playing Surprisingly though, the minimum requirements for the most popular games, DOTA 2, CS:GO, and League of Legends are quite low. Where most laptops or desktops fail is simply on the graphics card or Video RAM.
What do you need to run the best games?
Some games are extremely GPU intensive. Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and last year’s Microsoft Flight Simulator all require assistance to show their top quality graphics. Cyberpunk 2077 for instance has recommended requirements of either a GTX 970 or Radeon RX 590 with a whopping 150GB needed for storage space.
If you are looking at your laptop with its 150GB SSD then you will understand how high the specs are for this game.
You will need to reflect on the following when choosing a gaming rig:
- RAM
- SSD
- Motherboard
- CPU
- Graphics Card
Gamers always look for ways to improve their online gaming performance and sometimes it can be a matter of upgrading one area. When it comes to RAM there is a lot of discussion over what is the best amount. Most games will run happily on 8GB, the most demanding will appreciate you installing 16GB, but there is also some talk about future-proofing by having 32GB in gaming machines.
What over areas should you consider when you set up your gaming rig?
If you are not sure what the tech specs are for the games you want to run you can visit sites like Can I Run It which will test your computer against various games.
If you are happy with the hardware you have then the next step is to make sure you are comfortable and playing well.
Here are some of the accessories you might want to consider when you get ready to play online:
- 4K HD monitor
- Ergonomic gaming chair
- Gaming headset and/or speakers
- Ergonomic wireless keyboard
- Ergonomic wireless mouse
Now, if you are planning on playing in a live casino then you may want to consider the gaming chair for long stints at the poker table and a high-resolution monitor. For someone exploring vast open-world terrains then an ergonomic wireless keyboard and mouse should be added. For serious online gamers, a headset is usually a must for communicating with team members, although others may prefer speakers.
Any other considerations?
If you choose to go online with casinos then it is important to understand where each state stands on gambling and what the laws are. Different countries and regions all have their own laws and legislations for online gambling and casinos.
It may be wise to use a VPN to mask your location when playing online and for added security. This has the benefit of not only making you anonymous but also encrypting the data traveling between you and the game’s server.
Summary
Fans of retro gaming can run old games on Windows 10 and will need nothing in the way of expensive technology or upgrades. However, for someone who wants to take full advantage of Project CARS 2 you will need a serious gaming system.
Casual gamers though can get by with mobile devices or fairly good laptops and enjoy online casinos, slot machine apps, first-person shooters, and even some open world games.
