Unleash Next-Gen Gaming: Low Latency Revolution

Unleash Next-Gen Gaming: Low Latency Revolution

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Trends and Challenges in Reaching Gamers Across Borders
   • Increased Access to Powerful Smartphones
   • Lower Latency Networks in Emerging Markets
   • Growth of the Gaming Market in Asia
   • Major Players in the Global Gaming Market
3. Cross-Border Business Challenges for Gaming Companies
   • Cost of Deploying Infrastructure
   • Complex Local Regulations
   • Long Service Delivery Cycles
   • Limited Choices of Network Providers
   • Undeveloped Network Infrastructure and Lack of Peering
4. The Solution: Zenlayer Global Accelerator (ZGA)
   • Zenlayer as an Edge Cloud Service Provider
   • ZGA: Improving Online Gaming and Interactive Experience
   • Benefits for Gaming and Other Industries
5. Introducing GGA: Global Genertor's Accelerator
   • Accelerating the Digital Experience for Gamers
   • Solving the Challenges of Inconsistent Gaming Experience
   • Great Global Network Coverage
   • Good Performance and Optimization
   • Support for Different Application Layers
   • Instant Provisioning and Deployment
6. Conclusion
7. FAQs

Article

Introduction

Welcome to ZenLayer's GDC session on gaming beyond borders and low latency with the next generation application accelerator. In this session, we will explore the trends and challenges in reaching gamers across borders and introduce the ZenLayer Global Accelerator (ZGA) as a solution to improve online gaming and interactive experiences. We will also discuss the benefits of ZGA for gaming and other industries. Let's dive in!

Trends and Challenges in Reaching Gamers Across Borders

The gaming industry has undergone significant changes in recent years, and 2020, in particular, has brought about new trends and challenges. One of the key challenges for gaming companies expanding globally is the ability to provide a consistent online user experience to gamers worldwide, especially in emerging markets. Let's explore some of the trends and challenges that gaming companies should pay Attention to.

Increased Access to Powerful Smartphones

Last year, it was observed that Asia-Pacific (APAC) accounts for more than half of the global gaming market. This region has witnessed tremendous growth, driven by increased access to powerful smartphones and lower latency networks. Countries like Nigeria, India, and China have a large population of casual gamers who spend a significant amount of time playing games on their mobile devices. This shift towards mobile gaming has contributed to the growth of the gaming market in APAC.

Lower Latency Networks in Emerging Markets

One reason for the growth of the gaming market in emerging markets is the availability of lower latency networks. Southeast Asia and Africa, in particular, have seen significant improvements in network infrastructure, enabling gamers in these regions to have a smoother and more immersive gaming experience. However, there are still challenges related to last-mile connectivity and the lack of peering between local internet service providers (ISPs), which affect the overall network performance.

Growth of the Gaming Market in Asia

Asia now represents a staggering 1.2 billion gamers, accounting for over half of the global gaming market. Major players in the gaming industry have recognized the potential in this market and have capitalized on its growth. For example, Fortnite, developed by Epic Games, has amassed over 300 million users in China alone. Activision's Call of Duty is the fourth highest revenue game in China, and Free Fire, developed by Singapore-Based Sea Limited, has been the highest grossing mobile game in India, Latin America, and Southeast Asia for the past two years.

Major Players in the Global Gaming Market

To succeed in the global gaming market, studios and game developers must deliver a consistent online experience for gamers across different regions. This requires a trusted partner with international expertise. ZenLayer, as the number one edge cloud service provider in emerging markets, offers a comprehensive suite of services to help gaming companies overcome cross-border challenges. With over 180 data centers across 37 countries, ZenLayer's global cloud platform enables companies to deploy on-demand infrastructure and high-quality network services close to their users.

Cross-Border Business Challenges for Gaming Companies

Deploying gaming services in new markets comes with its own set of challenges. Gaming companies often face cross-border business challenges and complexities. Let's discuss some of the common challenges faced by gaming companies when expanding into new regions.

Cost of Deploying Infrastructure

One of the primary challenges for gaming companies is the cost associated with deploying infrastructure in new regions. Building and maintaining data centers in multiple locations can be expensive, especially when considering power, cooling, and network connectivity requirements.

Complex Local Regulations

Each region has its own set of regulations and compliance requirements that gaming companies must adhere to. Understanding and navigating these complex regulations can be time-consuming and costly. Failure to comply with local regulations can result in penalties and legal issues.

Long Service Delivery Cycles

Setting up and delivering gaming services in new regions often requires significant time and effort. In some cases, the service delivery cycles can be lengthy, delaying the availability of the gaming platform to users. This can impact user experience and hinder business growth.

Limited Choices of Network Providers

In some regions, gaming companies may face limited choices when it comes to selecting network providers. This lack of competition can lead to higher costs and subpar network performance. Limited network provider options also restrict the scalability and flexibility of gaming services.

Undeveloped Network Infrastructure and Lack of Peering

Many emerging markets have underdeveloped network infrastructure, resulting in poor last-mile connectivity. The lack of peering between local ISPs further compounds the connectivity challenges. This affects the overall network performance and can lead to high latency, packet loss, and inconsistent user experiences.

The Solution: ZenLayer Global Accelerator (ZGA)

ZenLayer understands the challenges faced by gaming companies when expanding globally. To address these challenges and improve the online gaming and interactive experience, ZenLayer has developed the ZenLayer Global Accelerator (ZGA). ZGA is a next-generation network application service that Instantly improves performance globally without the need for additional infrastructure. It is suitable for all types of gaming companies, from indie developers to AAA studios.

ZenLayer as an Edge Cloud Service Provider

ZenLayer is a leading edge cloud service provider with a strong global infrastructure. With over 180 data centers across 37 countries, ZenLayer's global cloud platform offers cloud networking, IP transit, bare metal cloud, and traditional edge data center services. This extensive network coverage allows gaming companies to deploy their infrastructure and deliver high-quality network services as close to their users as possible.

ZGA: Improving Online Gaming and Interactive Experience

The ZenLayer Global Accelerator (ZGA) was specifically developed to address the challenges faced by gaming companies expanding globally. ZGA is an API-driven network application service built on ZenLayer's software-defined network platform. It improves application performance across the globe with no complex infrastructure to provision or manage. With just a simple API call, gaming companies can leverage ZGA to accelerate their applications and deliver a consistent online experience to gamers worldwide.

Benefits for Gaming and Other Industries

While ZGA was developed with gaming in mind, many other industries have also seen significant benefits from this solution. As user applications Continue to Scale globally, the need for a fast, reliable, and secure digital experience becomes crucial. ZGA's capabilities extend beyond gaming, making it suitable for IoT, blockchain, SaaS, online education, live streaming, e-commerce, and more. The flexibility and extensibility of ZGA's architecture allow it to support various application layers and protocols, ensuring optimal performance for different types of applications and industries.

Introducing GGA: Global Generator's Accelerator

Now, let's introduce the Global Generator's Accelerator (GGA), another networking service offered by ZenLayer. GGA focuses on accelerating the digital experience, particularly for gamers. It is designed to address the challenge of providing a consistent gaming experience to a globally spread user base.

Accelerating the Digital Experience for Gamers

GGA is particularly beneficial when gamers are scattered around the world. The service aims to accelerate the gaming experience, ensuring low latency, fast response times, and reliable connections. With GGA, gaming companies can overcome the limitations imposed by long distances and unreliable public internet connections.

Solving the Challenges of Inconsistent Gaming Experience

One of the main pain points for gaming companies is providing a consistent gaming experience for users across different regions. GGA addresses this challenge by optimizing network routes and improving application performance through intelligent routing mechanisms. It automatically reroutes traffic to better links, ensuring an optimal end-to-end user experience.

Great Global Network Coverage

ZenLayer's extensive global infrastructure, comprising 180 data centers and a private backbone with over 400 circuits, provides excellent network coverage. GGA leverages this network to deliver fast and reliable connections to users worldwide. With a global private backbone, gaming companies can ensure low latency and high-quality connections, even in remote locations.

Good Performance and Optimization

GGA's focus is on improving application performance. ZenLayer has implemented various optimization techniques, including intelligent routing, protocol optimizations, and network overlay technologies. These optimizations reduce latency, improve network efficiency, and enhance the overall gaming experience.

Support for Different Application Layers

Gaming applications require support for various layers and protocols, including layer 4 (TCP/UDP), layer 5/6 (SOCKS, SSL), and layer 7 (HTTP, RTP). GGA is designed to handle these different application layers, providing acceleration and optimization across protocols. This flexibility allows gaming companies to deliver an enhanced gaming experience to users regardless of the application layer.

Instant Provisioning and Deployment

Setting up and deploying GGA is quick and straightforward. ZenLayer offers a self-service model, allowing gaming companies to provision GGA instantly through a web console or API. The API integration is seamless, enabling companies to incorporate GGA into their existing workflows. With fast provisioning, gaming companies can respond promptly to user complaints and improve the gaming experience without delay.

Conclusion

Expanding gaming services globally presents unique challenges for gaming companies. However, with the right solutions and partnerships, these challenges can be overcome. ZenLayer's Global Accelerator (ZGA) and Global Generator's Accelerator (GGA) provide gaming companies with the tools they need to ensure a consistent online gaming experience for users worldwide. By leveraging ZenLayer's global infrastructure and network capabilities, gaming companies can accelerate their applications, reduce latency, and improve performance, ultimately gaining a competitive AdVantage in the global gaming market.

FAQs

Q: How does ZGA improve the gaming experience?

A: ZGA improves the gaming experience by accelerating application performance globally. It optimizes network routes, reduces latency, and ensures fast and reliable connections for gamers. By delivering a consistent online experience, ZGA enhances gameplay and user satisfaction.

Q: Can GGA be used for applications other than gaming?

A: Yes, GGA is a versatile product that supports various applications, including IoT, blockchain, SaaS, online education, live streaming, and e-commerce. The optimization and acceleration capabilities of GGA can benefit any application that requires a fast, reliable, and secure digital experience.

Q: How quickly can GGA be deployed and provisioned?

A: GGA can be provisioned instantly through a web console or API. ZenLayer offers a self-service model, allowing companies to set up GGA within minutes. This fast provisioning allows gaming companies to address user complaints and improve the gaming experience promptly.

Q: What are the benefits of using ZenLayer as an edge cloud service provider?

A: ZenLayer's global infrastructure, with over 180 data centers across 37 countries, provides extensive network coverage. This allows companies to deploy their infrastructure close to their users, ensuring low latency and high-quality network connections. ZenLayer's edge cloud services also include cloud networking, IP transit, bare metal cloud, and traditional edge data center services, providing a comprehensive suite of solutions for gaming companies.

Q: Is there a free trial for ZGA and GGA?

A: Yes, ZenLayer offers a free trial for both ZGA and GGA. Gaming companies can test the services without any obligation and experience the benefits of accelerated performance and improved user experience.