In recent years, DDoS attacks have spiked within gaming communities. Some of these attacks target large gaming platforms such as Steam, Riot Games, or the Epic Games Store – while others focus on esports tournaments and players, video game streamers, or even individual gamers.
The disruptions these attacks cause are significant. High speed and stable internet connections are crucial in the world of online gaming, and DDoS attacks leave gamers frustrated and angry due to the impact it has on their games, while audiences are equally annoyed by the delays it causes.
But what exactly are DDoS attacks, and why are gamers such prime targets? More importantly, why is it that VPN services are said to be one of the best ways to prevent them – and are they really effective? Keep reading to find out how it all breaks down.
What are DDoS Attacks?
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks basically overwhelm a server, network or website by sending a massive flood of traffic its way. This disrupts its normal operations by making it so busy that regular connections can’t get through. From the outside, such attacks typically look like lag, constant disconnects, or even a complete shutdown.
Nowadays DDoS attacks frequently use botnets that consist of thousands (or sometimes even millions) of compromised devices. Hackers take control of these devices, and direct them to attack a single target simultaneously – resulting in a surge of traffic that can overwhelm even well-maintained systems.
These attacks affect gaming in numerous ways. The lag alone can disrupt games, and frequent disconnections or outages can derail gaming sessions, streams, or online tournaments entirely. In short, they are a bane for gaming communities, and something every gamer wants to avoid.
Why Gamers Are Frequent Targets
So why is it that gamers find themselves constantly in the crosshairs of DDoS attacks? What is the motivation behind these attacks? Honestly, there are several reasons behind the prevalence of these attacks among gamers:
- Exposed IP addresses
Many games and gaming platforms inadvertently reveal players’ IP addresses. This is typically due to their reliance on P2P connections, or voice and chat services. Once an IP address is known, carrying out a DDoS attack is extremely easy using readily available tools.
- High visibility targets
Streamers, esports players, and esports tournaments have large audiences and a sudden disconnect can ruin their viewership as well as income. This makes them a prime target for sabotage, by individuals who get a thrill out of the spectacle – especially seeing their IP address can be obtained from games or voice chat services.
- Competitive tension
Gaming can be intensely competitive, with players constantly chasing leaderboard rankings, tournament placements, or prize pools. That on its own can provide motivation to carry out DDoS attacks and disrupt opponents, ruin their focus, or even outright disconnect them from the server and prevent them from playing.
- Revenge, toxicity, and harassment
Online gaming is full of passionate players – which is great, but also means that things often get heated really quickly. Trash talk or a simple argument can snowball and trigger retaliation. At times it is taken too far, and DDoS attacks are used as a way to ‘get even’.
In short, there isn’t just one reason behind the prevalence of DDoS attacks on gamers. Instead, it is a combination of the reasons listed above that make them targets, and why every gamer needs to take steps to prevent these attacks.
Why VPNs Are Effective Protection from DDoS Attacks
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that will encrypt the user’s internet connection and route it through remote servers. At first glance, this may not seem like it can protect gamers from DDoS attacks, but it is actually very effective for two main reasons:
- Masks real IP addresses
When gamers connect via a VPN, their real IP address is obfuscated. The only IP address visible is that of the VPN server their connection is being routed through – and that is the IP address that will be obtained if hackers attempt to target them. Essentially this prevents gamers from being targeted and attacked directly..
- Absorbs VPN attacks
If an attacker sends a surge of traffic towards a VPN, it can more easily absorb it. Typically high quality VPNs have anti-DDoS technology, intelligent traffic filtering, and a high capacity network – all of which will allow them to ‘tank’ the attacks without it affecting gamers.
It should be noted that while VPNs are effective, they are not foolproof. If an attacker already knows a user’s real IP address, they can bypass the VPN and target the gamer directly. Similarly, if a VPN does not have strong anti-DDoS technology and a high-capacity network, their ability to absorb the DDoS attacks may be limited, and the VPN itself could crash.
To sum it up, VPNs are a great way to prevent DDoS attacks – but quality matters, and care must be taken to ensure real IP addresses don’t leak through other means.
Final Words: Game Without Fear
Equipping a high quality VPN is a good way for gamers to shield their IP address and stop DDoS attacks from affecting them – but it’s just the start. To completely protect themselves, gamers need to take other measures such as enabling router firewall protection, avoiding suspicious third-party game lobbies, using encrypted voice chat services, and resetting IP addresses if exposed.
Together, all these steps can ensure that games are decided where they’re supposed to be, and skill determines the outcome rather than network strength.