Empowering Game Developers to Enhance Player Understanding of Network Issues

Many gamers have experienced the frustration of lag and latency in online multiplayer games, feeling cheated out of a win as a result. Despite significant advancements in global network infrastructure, connectivity issues persist as a major challenge for the video game industry, with numerous players affected by problems beyond their control. As a result, there is a pressing need for game developers to not only mitigate these connectivity issues but also to communicate effectively with gamers, educating them on the intricacies of network problems such as lag and latency. By doing so, developers can avoid unwarranted reputational damage, as gamers often blame game studios for connectivity issues. Fortunately, there are straightforward steps that game developers can take to improve their players' understanding of network issues and address common problems that lead to lag and latency. One approach is to keep players informed about network issues and incorporate network updates into their content calendar and development updates. When connectivity issues arise, more than half of online players blame game studios or the companies managing the servers. The primary factor affecting latency is often the distance between the player and the server they are connected to, but other factors such as network congestion, traffic, and the player's internet connection strength and type also play a role. Developers should not assume that their players fully comprehend the nuances of connectivity. Instead, they should proactively educate players on their network, how issues can arise, and the steps players can take to improve their connections. Failure to do so can result in reputational damage. Depending on the size of the studio and its team, developers can work with their community and social managers to keep players updated on outages or issues, particularly those that are location-specific. If significant changes are made to the network, such as a change of supplier or adjustments to the netcode, developers should inform their community or communications manager to monitor the impact on the community or player reception. Rather than viewing this as a mundane task, developers can incorporate network and server updates into a broader content and communications strategy. This is especially important for genres that rely on ultra-fast connections, such as fighting games and first-person shooters. Players may be surprised by how engaging these updates can be, especially when they offer insight into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating their favorite games. From developer blogs and newsletters to community platforms like Discord and Reddit, studios have various tools at their disposal to keep their community informed. If developers are struggling to come up with content ideas, discussing their network usage can provide an interesting talking point for tech-savvy players. Developers should also inform players about the steps they can take to potentially improve network issues when they encounter them. When gamers experience lag and latency, they often resort to simple troubleshooting methods, such as restarting their game or router. While these methods can be effective, players should be aware of other tips to mitigate lag and latency, such as switching to a wired connection, reducing resolution settings for online play, or using a signal booster to improve their internet connection. Additionally, developers can position their servers to meet and exceed the requirements of their game. One of the easiest ways to improve connection speeds is to minimize the distance between server locations and players. When in doubt, it is always safe to overprovision server allocation at launch to avoid potential issues and have additional servers ready to handle excess traffic. Edge computing is also an effective way to reduce connection distance. Choosing the right infrastructure provider with a flexible package is crucial. Developers should be able to overprovision at launch and scale back if needed, and decent hosting providers will only charge for the server allocation actually used. When launching a game from scratch, it is essential to avoid lengthy contracts without a reasonable estimate of the player base and its potential growth. Developers should also work with their infrastructure provider to address any issues that arise. Smaller studios focused on developing quality multiplayer experiences should aim to find an infrastructure partner that can be treated as an extension of their team. Having a provider that can be reached quickly in case of issues can be a lifesaver, especially when encountering unexpected problems such as intermittent memory spikes at specific game moments. Similar to the importance of transparency in communicating network issues, there are content and community management opportunities around netcode and server deployment strategy that developers may wish to update players on as they roll out their game, especially if they have an engaged community pre-launch and wishlist requests on Steam.