The 5G telecom network is knocking on India’s doors. The high-speed network will be a delight for mobile gamers. It will significantly improve gaming by reducing the latency rate and providing multiplayer experience, besides increasing capacity and enabling cloud-based gaming.

There are, at present, 365 million mobile gamers and their numbers are expected to grow rapidly as the 5G network is rolled out, providing superior technology standards for both broadband and cellular networks, say industry experts.

Immersive experience

Through augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) and mixed reality, gaming fans and audiences at home will have an immersive experience — as if they are watching the match live from the stadium. 5G is set to have a huge impact on gaming, says said Nikhil Rungta, Country Head-India, Verizon Media. India is amongst the top five mobile gaming markets worldwide, he adds.

India’s 5G network will have a desi soul

Agreeing with Rungta, Roland Landers, CEO of All India Gaming Federation, says the launch of the 5G data network will boost the entire gaming sector in India, with more people joining online gaming platforms.

5G offers a whole new experience for the sports fan as it provides support for multiple streams. It will unlock the potential of AR and VR in India. It brings with it low latency and high concurrency. Low latency ensures that the delay between your screen and the actual game is next to nothing. High concurrency means more people can get the same superlative experience at a particular location.

5G network to be based on open-source platforms: Qualcomm India

Right now, AR and VR are only accessible to a few online gaming platforms and its integration with the 5G data network would change the face of game streaming and the overall gaming experience, he says. It will be able to take the opportunity by delivering 8K quality streaming to the screens, which is closer to the real world. With this technology, one can also choose their own camera angles or display multiple angles simultaneously while watching the game, points out Landers.

Cloud gaming, key driver

KPMG India’s Head of Media and Entertainment Girish Menon says that with 5G’s extremely fast speeds and low latency response time, cloud gaming is a very appealing use case that could drive subscribers to upgrade to 5G devices and price plans.

Cloud gaming over pc/console and mobiles is likely to gain adoption over the next five years. Cloud gaming will allow gamers to play games that are hosted in the cloud rather than a gaming console or stored on a PC and all the graphics and video processing that usually takes place on the console would take place in the cloud. Cloud gaming requires high processing speeds and low-jitter experience, which can only be provided by 5G.

With cricket being the dominant game in India, and with the popularity of esports rising to such an extent that the International Olympic Committee is slated to hold five esports events ahead of the 2021 games, 5G is likely to have a significant positive impact on gaming in the long term.

AR and VR gaming require stringent network requirements such as low latency, high reliability and high bandwidth. Because the graphics require heavy processing, on-device processes could be augmented by splitting workloads between the AR/VR device and the cloud, says Menon.

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