Many gamers are looking for ways to play their favorite games without worrying about where the hardware is. Cloud gaming makes it possible for people to enjoy their game experience from any device, anywhere in the world. While gaming on a PC is still a better method, the world of cloud gaming is constantly improving. That is because some well-known companies have entered the playing field. Unlike console gaming that offers roughly the same speeds everywhere, cloud gaming can be different, depending on where you are. That is one of the reasons why connecting to a VPN may be helpful when using a cloud-based system. We’ll look at that and other reasons in a moment. First, though, we ask that you look at our list of the best VPNs for cloud gaming.
| Rank | VPN Service | Our Score | Server Locations | Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 9.8 | 160 |  |
| 2 |  | 9.4 | 87 | |
| 3 |  | 9.2 | 95 | |
| 4 |  | 9.0 | 110 | |
| 5 |  | 8.8 | 73 | |
What is Cloud Gaming?
Cloud gaming can be defined as the delivery of video games over a computer network from a remote data center. Cloud gaming enables you to play your favorite games and store your game information online without having to worry about upgrading or updating your console, the game, or virus protection. As we mentioned, there are several options in the community, each with its own positives and negatives. Keep in mind that your performance may not be the best if you don’t have at least 100 Mbps speeds. We’ll talk about some of the best options here.
Google Stadia – Operated by Google, Google Stadia does a good job of outperforming competitors. While there was some confusion about missing features when the service launched, it has great performance. If you are a pro user, you can easily get 4K HDR resolution. You can put the money you would have spent on a new console towards a new TV or monitor that will support the high-end resolution. Stadia controllers are $69, and the service is $9.99 a month.
GeForce Now – Of course, Nvidia named GeForce Now after their popular GeForce line of GPUs. Some of the advantages of this one include multiple gaming centers available, keyboard and controller support, excellent performance, and it works with Nvidia Shield. However, you may not like the minimal interface, timed game sessions, or lack of support for all games, and since they offer a free service, free players may need to get in line to play.
PlayStation Now – Named after the Sony PlayStation, PlayStation Now is Sony’s entry into the cloud gaming market. It takes advantage of the enormous game library that the company has. That includes titles from PS2-4 consoles, and they offer hundreds of different options, depending on what you want to play. Just like Stadia, their service is $9.99 a month, but you can get a bigger discount if you purchase it for a longer period of time.
Xbox Cloud Gaming – Not to be left out, Microsoft’s cloud gaming service they call Xbox Cloud Gaming (xCloud). It allows you to play more than 100 high-quality console games on the devices you already have while using the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Xbox gives you the ability to play using an Xbox controller, Sony DualShock, Razer Kishi, and more.
Amazon Luna – Another popular service in the cloud gaming community is Amazon Luna. Many gamers like this one because of its more reasonably priced controller and its lower price of $5.99 a month. Additionally, if you already have a supported device like Xbox or PS4 controller, you may use them instead of having to buy a new one. If you are a fan of Ubisoft games, this one is the way to go.
Why Connecting to a VPN is Important
As you can see by our top paragraph, cloud gaming can be good or bad, depending on where you are. If you are in a location with great internet speeds, you could quickly run into issues. By connecting to a VPN, however, you can re-route your internet traffic to a better location. That will help you take advantage of the great gameplay that you should be able to enjoy with these cloud gaming options.
Whether you choose Stadia, PS Now, GeForce Now, or even a service like Shadow, connecting to a VPN will help you gain access to locations where the service is not available. While they will likely eventually be available everywhere, some of the services are still in beta. By connecting to a VPN in a country where it is available, you’ll be able to enjoy them everywhere.
What’s the best VPN for Cloud Gaming?
Here is a list of what VPN providers should have.
- A large network that can help you get around cloud server slowness
- A zero-logs policy so you can feel safe knowing your VPN isn’t tracking you
- The ability to get around geo-restrictions or network blocks so you can play even at school
- Strong encryption to protect financial transactions and gaming privacy
1. Best VPN for Cloud Gaming: ExpressVPN
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A good reason to use ExpressVPN has to do with censorship. Whether you live in a restrictive country or plan to visit one, it is not hard to run into governmental restrictions. From political speech to social media to other types of banned content, ExpressVPN does a great job of protecting your privacy while you navigate the web. Since the company offers so many different server locations, you won’t have to worry about speed losses because you are trying to connect to a server outside your current region.
Because protecting your security and accounts are essential while gaming, connecting to a VPN server with ExpressVPN is crucial. If you are a gamer, you will spend many hours playing. No matter what the game is, there are achievements, money, and account information that you should be able to protect. To do so, all you need to do is connect to the server of your choice. That way, you will create a layer of encryption that will keep all of your personal gaming information and accounts safe.
ExpressVPN is our top-rated VPN service of 2023. Regardless of your goals for using a VPN, ExpressVPN combines a robust network with privacy features to keep you protected. We commonly use it to protect our privacy while traveling and to access our favorite streaming services back home. While you can sign up for monthly access, we recommend you take advantage of this exclusive deal that gives you 3 extra months free when you sign up for a year. You can also get a full refund within 30 days if you’re not completely satisfied, so you can test their network with ExpressVPN’s money-back-guarantee.
2. Best VPN for Cloud Gaming: NordVPN
Gamers spend quite a bit of time and money on their gaming accounts. However, sometimes players don’t pay enough attention to security. If you are trying to keep your account safe, you’ll want to connect to a server by using NordVPN. By doing so, it will help you ensure that your achievements, finances, time spent, and inventory are safe from harm. Of course, you will want to take other precautions as well, but that is an essential step if you are a gamer.
One reason to use NordVPN is to protect your privacy by blocking malware and ads. Their CyberSec feature will help you avoid sites that host malware and annoying ads. It will also protect your system from becoming part of a botnet attack. If you have ever searched for something random online and have seen the term or item you searched for, continuously come up, that can be a bit unnerving. However, when you use NordVPN, you can help stop that from happening.
3. Best VPN for Cloud Gaming: PIA
If you are one of the many people that like to stream sports on your favorite mobile device, connecting to a VPN server from Private Internet Access may be useful to you. More and more providers are allowing their users to watch some sports for free. Great examples of that include baseball and American football in the US. However, if you are traveling abroad or are otherwise outside of your home area, you would miss out on those games. By connecting to a VPN server you should be able to regain the access you wish.
For all the gamers that are worried about lag, connecting to a VPN from Private Internet Access will help stop that from happening. The way that works is by rerouting your internet traffic to a shorter route. If your game goes through fewer spots, it will reduce the amount of lag that you encounter. That way, you can enjoy your favorite without worrying about whether you are going to wind up dead. From playing competitively to playing casually, Private Internet Access has you covered.
4. Best VPN for Cloud Gaming: CyberGhost
Once you sign up for your VPN service with CyberGhost, the company provides you with seven simultaneous connections. While that will take care of most families or groups, it may not solve the problems of everyone. If you are worried about running out of connections, setting up your VPN through a router may help you. When you do so, you will ensure that all of the devices that you attach to your network are protected. Of course, that will help you free up some connections.
For everyone that keeps a sharp eye on privacy, you will be glad to know that CyberGhost does, too. One of the ways they do that is by using 256-bit military-grade AES encryption as your chief option. Keep in mind that in many countries, ISPs have a legal obligation to store logs on their customers for as much as two years. Because of that, keeping yourself safe with a VPN should be as big of a priority to you as it is to them.
5. Best VPN for Cloud Gaming: IPVanish
If you are a gamer that likes to play online, you probably know that while popular games eventually become available in all regions, it is not always at the same time. The trick to that is to connect to a VPN server from IPVanish located in one of the early access countries. Australia is a popular choice. By doing so, you will make the software think you are there. That way, you can enjoy the game and play it earlier than others in your area.
Whether you are an ex-pat, on a trip, or just otherwise outside of your home country, you will have issues if you try to watch content from your home region. Fortunately, connecting to a VPN from IPVanish will help you change that. From watching the great shows and movies from the BBC to gaining access to Australia’s Stan streaming service and many others, you just need to pick a region. Afterward, you will be able to enjoy everything your favorite streaming service has to offer.
