Over the next decade, 5G has the potential to revolutionise the way we play video games. In particular, mobile gaming may undergo a transformation, with the 5G network providing opportunities and new ways for people to get their gaming fix. 5G is the next generation of mobile connectivity. With 5G gaming, seamless, frictionless mobile connections are potentially more achievable than ever before. All of this is great news for gamers — from hard-core ones to those who play more casually. Ready to learn more about why 5G gaming is a gamechanger? Just hit the play button and read on.

The growth of mobile gaming

In recent years, more people have started playing games on their phones. It’s no longer necessary to spend a small fortune on costly consoles and top-level titles. Instead, you can just use the multi-tasking device in your pocket.

Things have moved on from Candy Crush, too. As smartphones have become more and more capable, the quality of mobile games has shot up. While there was once a wide, yawning chasm between the user experience of console games versus mobile games, the gap is beginning to close.

Already, there are a variety of 5G games for free on offer (just search on your preferred online store), as well as a growing number of affordable cut-down versions of big-name games designed for mobile devices, including Fortnite and Call Of Duty.

How 5G is better for gaming

Is 5G internet good for gaming? However you phrase the question, 5G has much to offer. The three main benefits include:

5G is much faster

5G’s increased speed allows for faster downloading. This is crucial for mobile gaming because many game graphics take up more memory than music and video and are therefore more time-consuming to download on older generation networks.

5G latency is reduced

5G has ultra-low latency, meaning there’s very little lag time between issuing a command and receiving a response. In other words, when you use a 5G-enabled device, you’ll get an improved gameplay experience — very similar to playing offline with a game disk loaded into the console tray. As for multiplayer sessions or competitive gaming, reduced 5G gaming latency will help level the playing field for all participants.

High-speed, reliable internet connection

With the improved network infrastructure that comes with 5G, cloud subscription services will become more viable. This will be enormously freeing for people who choose to do their gaming on 5G. For the first time, people will be able to play high-quality games on a mobile device and not be tied to less-mobile gaming hardware.

Taking your gaming experience to the next level

5G has huge potential to unlock completely new levels of gaming on the go. Not only is 5G good for gaming, but it’s also pretty thrilling — 5G is expected to make speedy, powerful cloud gaming even more of a reality. As 5G gains momentum, unstable internet connections may well become a thing of the past. That’s great news for gaming because it means players will be able to reliably stream games on their mobile devices without any interruptions.

Gaming on 5G hotspot

A 5G hotspot is a Wi-Fi connection that you access to connect to the internet on your phone, tablet, computer or another compatible device. It’s similar to other internet hotspots.

With a 5G-powered phone, you can set up a 5G hotspot for gaming on your device. Other devices can then be tethered to it so as to piggyback off the phone’s internet connection.

Is a mobile hotspot good for gaming? The advantage of this type of hotspot for gaming is that it enables you to make use of the power and speed of a 5G network to game on PCs and dedicated consoles. The main drawbacks of a 5G hotspot for gaming are that it can drain your batteries and it can be data-hungry. Make sure you have the right phone plan in place so that your 5G hotspot doesn’t leave you in a hot mess.

5G gaming on the cloud

You don’t need specialised gaming equipment to get into cloud gaming. An internet connection is essential. Depending on which cloud gaming service you use, you’ll also need a web browser on a computer, a smartphone or a video streaming box with a controller.

That said, it’s still early days for cloud gaming. There are literally thousands of games available across the most popular platforms like Xbox, PlayStation and Windows, yet the leading cloud gaming services — Google Stadia and Xbox Game Pass — have the potential to take advantage of the technology.

How 5G cloud gaming works

Cloud streaming works by streaming the games over the internet directly to your device, in a similar way to an Amazon Prime video or a Netflix film. As you play, your control inputs are pinged back to the server at lightning speed with the 5G network.

You generally pay a subscription fee for this service every month, adding on any extras. Potentially, gaming companies could give access to an almost unlimited catalogue of games. This would provide a level of flexibility and freedom that gamers have never experienced before. And just like streaming a video, there’s no need to commit to a streamed game if you don’t like it.

One less thing to worry about for gamers With 5G, you can begin playing new games more quickly. You won’t be waiting around for a massive download to end. Plus, all upgrades and updates to games are handled back at the data centre, allowing all players to focus on their gameplay.

Although cloud gaming still needs refinement and more investment from companies to be in the same league as traditional gaming, it is bursting with promise. With Vodafone’s roll-out of 5G across selected areas in major Australian cities, 5G cloud gaming is definitely a space worth watching.

What 5G gaming could look like in the future Let’s run through some of the fun things we could see with 5G gaming and cloud gaming.

5G gaming could give players more options for engaging with games. They’ll be able to watch and learn from other players, share virtual goods and create their own in-game content. Live in-game tutorials are also a distinct possibility.

There will be more ways for gamers to create characters, events, items, scenarios and so on. There could be more ways to make games collaborative or available to multiple players via video streaming, rewards, cheats, etc. Non-gaming services could be added on, so that players could also watch a video together, listen to music together and study/work from home together.

5G for gaming at new levels

Another exciting thing about the 5G network is that it will stimulate innovation in mobile gaming. Not only will people be able to play new data-intensive, multiplayer games on the go, but they’ll also be able to enjoy enhanced versions of older games. More interactive social features and amped-up augmented reality are likely to be part of the 5G gaming package.

Greater innovation will also extend to gaming hardware. 5G gaming, with its outsourcing of hefty processing to the cloud, will usher in more streamlined accessories. Augmented reality headsets, for example, could be reduced to the size of ordinary, everyday sunglasses, instead of the bulky goggles that we see at present. This streamlining of accessories will render gaming on 5G more immersive and more appealing to a wider range of people.

As for virtual reality, the need for big screens is unlikely to disappear. However, 5G allows for much greater refinement of hardware and a chance to go increasingly wireless. For gaming venues, 5G wireless connectivity could create some truly amazing new opportunities. VR games could be a whole building phenomenon, giving a much richer gaming experience

How 5G will impact the gaming industry

While gamers will get to level up their experience of gaming on 5G, potentially developers and publishers also stand to benefit. They’ll be able to collect data more easily on how people are using 5G for gaming, giving them more insight into gamers’ behaviour. They can then channel this knowledge into greater personalisation of their products and services.

By making consumers feel more valued and understood, gaming companies will be able to create much better relationships with individual gamers and communities. In turn, this will increase loyalty among gamers towards developers and publishers. This is important because people are becoming more selective about how they spend their time and money, especially where big business is involved.

On a broader level, 5G could also be a turning point for the gaming industry. It’s likely that we’ll see new business models, further evolution in devices, an expansion in eSports and new cross-media collaborations between cinema, TV and the gaming space.

What device is best for 5G games?

Many of the latest 5G smartphones are excellent for gaming. If gaming is a regular part of your life, a smartphone might meet all your needs. You should look for a powerful phone with a big, high-resolution screen. A high refresh rate is also recommended, along with long battery life, to avoid the sudden death of your phone mid-game.

How do I start my 5G gaming adventure?

Once you have your 5G-enabled device, you simply need to download or stream a game. It’s that simple. Depending on the type of device you have, you can find 5G games on the App Store and Google Play.

Don’t forget that you can set up your phone as a 5G hotspot for gaming so that other devices can connect to your mobile internet, rather than being tied to traditional Wi-Fi.