5G – a revolution for gaming

“A revolution, the like of which we haven’t seen since the launch of the first smartphone” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. With 5G, global smartphone sales are set to rise from a combined 145 million in 2020 to 303 million in 2021 and 515 million in 2022 (Source: Futuresource/October 2020). Staggering!

It’s started. 5G hit Luxembourg City on October 16th. The roll-out will continue throughout 2021, first in the regions around Ettelbruck and Diekirch, and then in the  south.

But you’ll need to get kitted out if you want to reap the benefits.

For access to the 5G network, you’ll not only have to be in a 5G hotspot, but also have a suitably equipped smartphone. Don’t worry, many 5G-compatible smartphones are already available from Samsung, Oppo, Huawei and Apple. Models (costing from €279 to €2,499) could be common sights under Christmas trees this year.

What 5G will change.

5G (as in fifth-generation mobile phones) lets you download data at unprecedented speeds: up to 10 times faster than with the current 4G technology. You will remember that the first generation of mobile phones let people make calls, the second added text messages, the third allowed for images to be sent and the fourth developed mobile internet and video features.

There are numerous 5G applications, especially in “smart cities” with sensors to measure temperature, air pollution, water use, and noise, with even trackers for vehicles and shipping containers, amongst other things. The fifth generation of mobile communication is also central to the promised developments in self-driving cars, guaranteeing that data sent by a vehicle (sudden braking, for example) is received by motorists nearby.

5G: buffering is a thing of the past

A classic example of 5G speed is how it enables users to download an HD film wirelessly to their tablet or phone in just a few seconds, as opposed to taking several minutes as with 4G. Plus 5G latency is imperceptible, at around a millisecond. This immediacy of data transfer is a prerequisite to everything from conducting remote surgical procedures to playing video games hosted on the cloud.

The future of gaming

Imagine a world where you can play wherever you like, including starting a game at home on your TV, and carry on playing on the bus using your smartphone.

There would no longer be a need to buy a console or computer for gaming, nor any reason to buy or download your video games.

This gaming transformation will be similar to how video and music changed with Netflix and Spotify. The technology is more complicated here, though. The latency between the server and player must be minimised to ensure games are perfectly interactive, a requirement other media don’t need.

“With cloud gaming, the game is played on a remote server. Users just need a 5G connection and a screen.” (Source : https://www.frandroid.com/produits-android/console/575680_cloud-gaming-tout-savoir-sur-le-futur-du-jeu-video-et-les-differents-services-disponibles).

Following this principle, 5G can be used to play the most data-hungry games on less powerful devices, because the server stores everything.

Like Netflix for films and TV series, and Spotify for music, Blacknut offers unlimited access to a catalogue of more than 400 video games of any style, playable anywhere without restriction.

Farming Simulator 2019, Sniper Ghost Warrior 3, Asphalt 9 or Asterix & Obelix XXL 3, there’s something for everyone of any age. From casual games to great sagas.

Demand is high and the gaming market is expanding rapidly. Over a third of the global population – nearly three billion people around the world – now play video games.

The arrival of super-high-speed 5G will be just as efficient as if you had fibre optic access on your phone. It will let you benefit fully from the cloud gaming experience, with exceptional speed and smoothness, and the possibility for entertainment on the go the like of which never seen before.

5G: definitely good news for gamers

POST, a major telecom operator in Luxembourg, has launched its 5G mobile packages. Check out 5G POWER, the 5G mobile package with a cloud gaming option from Blacknut, whose video game catalogue has more than 400 titles. Flagship packages from POST (SCOUBIDO and BusinessEurope) have also changed with the addition of 5G to all contracts, without any price increase.