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Tackling latency in next-gen gaming

Published

4 years ago

June 9, 2022

George Miller

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Mathieu Duperré, CEO at Edgegap

Anyone that’s played a video game online has almost certainly experienced some kind of lag and connectivity issues. Despite huge infrastructure advances in the last few decades, latency remains a constant thorn in the side of gamers and detracts from the real-time experience that’s expected today.

Delivering a consistent experience to gamers playing on different devices with varying connection speeds – many of which are separated by thousands of miles – is a complex challenge. Massively popular online games like Roblox and Fortnite are just two of the many games which have benefited from years of investment into infrastructure in order to support millions of concurrent players. As the below chart from SuperJoost shows, multiplayer and online gaming is becoming the preferred way to play games amongst the most active gaming demographic, with all the technical challenges that this creates.

Games which can be played seamlessly across mobile, PC and console (so-called cross-play games) are also pushing the limits of what current internet infrastructure can deliver. Add in a new generation of streaming cloud gaming services like Stadia, Blacknut Games and Amazon’s Luna – plus Microsoft’s Game Pass and Sony’s revamped PlayStation Plus service, and you can see how the promise of console-quality performance over a broadband connection risks overloading networks that were never designed for this level of gaming.

So how can game companies, telcos and ISPs deliver on the performance promises being made to gamers? That’s where edge computing comes in.

Lag, latency and the Edge

When talking about latency it’s important to make it clear exactly what we mean. Latency refers to the amount of time it takes for game data to travel from one point to another. From the gamer’s perspective, it’s the delay between their command and seeing it happen in-game. How much latency a gamer experiences is dependent on the physical distance the data must cross through the multiple networks, routers and cables before it reaches its destination.

To use an extreme example, NASA’s Voyager 1 has made it about 14.5 billion miles from our planet so far, and it takes about 19 hours for its radio waves to reach us. Here on Earth, your latency is (hopefully) measured in milliseconds rather than hours; and gamers need around 30ms for the most optimal performance. Anywhere above 100ms can lead to noticeable lag and a frustrating experience.

This is where Edge computing comes in. As the name implies, Edge computing brings computation and data storage closer to the sources of data, placing it on the edge of the network where the performance gain is the greatest. As you’d expect, reducing unnecessary travel drastically speeds up the process providing an almost lag-free experience.

More players equals more chance for latency to be a problem

In the early days of gaming, local, couch play was part and parcel of the gaming experience. Today, a game where hundreds or even thousands of players are in the same session is nothing out of the ordinary, and there are Battle Royale games now, a whole genre of games where a hundred or more players are whittled down to a single winner.

The sheer scale of some online games dwarfs many of the most popular streaming services. Whilst Netflix remains the most successful streaming video site with 222 million subscribers, kids game Roblox has 230 million active accounts and Fortnite has over 350 million registered players. So if we assume these games reflect a growing trend, the demand on server networks is only going to increase, and gaming companies will have to look for more innovative solutions to continue meeting demand.

Cross-Platform

The ability for gamers on different devices and platforms to play and compete together is becoming an increasingly common feature of AAA multiplayer games like Apex Legends, Fornite and Call of Duty. EA Sports recently confirmed that FIFA 23 will be joining other heavy hitters in exploring cross-platform play. Considering the large amount of games on the market, and the various game modes for each game, studios are looking at crossplay to increase the amount of players who can play together. One of the main driver is to lower matchmaking time and prevent players from having to wait hours before opponents are ready to play with them.

From a latency perspective, different infrastructure across platforms means lag and downtime are far more likely. When it comes to cross-play, studios can’t use P2P (peer-to-peer) since console vendors don’t support direct communication (i.e. an Xbox can’t communicate directly with a playstation). On top of that, P2P may be limited by player’s home network (restrictive natting for example). That’s why studios typically use relays in a handful of centralised locations. Relays are seen as cheaper than authoritative server. They although have large flaws like making it harder for studios to prevent cheating, which is becoming more and more important with Web3 & NFT. This causes higherlatency since traffic needs to travel longer distances between players. For example, when Apex Legends went cross-platform, players were inundated with frame rate drops, lags and glitches.

Edge computing allows studios to deploy cross-play games as close as possible to their players, significantly reducing latency. Which can negate some of the delay issues around differing platforms.

VR and the Metaverse

Despite hitting shelves in 2016, VR is only now slowly making its way into mainstream gaming. Advances in technology have gradually improved the user experience, while also bringing the price of hardware down and closer to the mass market – not to mention the metaverse bringing renewed attention to the tech. But latency issues still present a serious hurdle to wider adoption unless it’s addressed.

Latency impacts the player experience far more in VR than in traditional gaming as it completely disrupts the intended immersive experience. A 2020 research paper found latency of over 30-35ms in VR, had a significant impact on players’ enjoyment and immersion, which was far lower than acceptable margins on a controller. But when it comes to the metaverse, achieving this might not be enough. Latency between headset and player has to be sub 5ms to prevent motion sickness.

In a recent blog, Meta’s VP, Dan Rabinovitsj, explained that cloud-based video games require a latency of around 75–150ms, while some AAA video games with high graphical demand require sub 35ms. Comparatively, Rabinovitsj suggests metaverse applications would need to reduce latency to low double or even single digits.

For better or worse, we’ve seen glimpses of what the metaverse has to offer already. Decentraland’s metaverse fashion week gave major brands like Dolce & Gabbana an opportunity to showcase virtual versions of their products. But attending journalists reported that the event was fraught with lag and glitches.

Gamers are a fickle bunch, so early adopters will simply move back to other games and platforms if they have poor initial experiences. Google’s Stadia promised to revolutionise gaming, but its fate was sealed at launch as the platform simply couldn’t compete with its competitors’ latency. Today, Google has ‘deprioritised’ the platform in favour of other projects.

If the metaverse goes to plan, it should encompass a lot more than traditional gaming experiences. But if it’s going to live up to players’ lofty expectations, akin to Ready Player One, more thought needs to be given to scalable and optimised infrastructure.

Unlocking next-gen gaming

The pace at which modern gaming is evolving is astounding, making the components discussed here work lag-free and as players expect will be a huge undertaking, and even more so when developers attempt to bring them all together in the metaverse.

The issue of latency may be less headline-grabbing than virtual fashion shows, NFTs and Mark Zuckerberg’s slightly unsettling promotional video, but the ability to seamlessly stitch all of these elements together will be critical in making the metaverse live up to expectations, and therefore, to its success.

Big Betty Partners

Big Betty Partners Launches the Big Deal Promo for Affiliates

Published

1 hour ago

March 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

big-betty-partners-launches-the-big-deal-promo-for-affiliates

Big Betty Partners, an iGaming affiliate program operating since 2021, has announced the launch of its new large-scale campaign, Big Deal Promo, designed for both new and existing affiliates working with Tier-1 markets.

Over the past several years, the program has built a reputation as a fast-growing affiliate platform offering flexible monetization models, high-converting brands, and transparent analytics tools that help partners scale their traffic effectively. Working directly with advertisers, Big Betty Partners provides affiliates with multiple cooperation models, including RevShare, CPA, and hybrid structures.

The newly launched Big Deal Promo introduces an additional reward layer to the standard affiliate revenue model. During the campaign, partners continue earning their regular commissions while simultaneously participating in the Big Deal Show rewards campaign, creating a double-benefit structure for traffic monetization.

For new affiliates joining the program, Big Betty Partners is also offering RevShare of up to 65% for the first three months with the promo code BIG-65, providing an additional incentive to start working with the program during the promotional period.

Affiliates can already join BigBetty.io, activate the promotion, and begin accumulating Betty Points through their traffic performance.

How the Big Deal Promo Works

The promotion runs from March 10 to June 1, 2026, giving affiliates several months to test strategies, scale their campaigns, and accumulate Betty Points.

The campaign operates alongside the standard affiliate model. Partners generate FTDs as usual, while each new deposit contributes to their Betty Points balance. These points later determine which rewards affiliates can claim.

The accumulation rules are straightforward:

PPC and SEO traffic
1 FTD = 2 Betty Points

ASO, Influencer, Email, and SMS traffic
1 FTD = 1 Betty Point

As affiliates generate deposits during the campaign, their Betty Points balance steadily increases. The structure rewards consistent performance over time and allows partners to scale their activity throughout the promotion gradually.

Partners who join earlier gain more time to accumulate points, while affiliates entering later in the campaign can still build a competitive balance through effective traffic strategies.

Markets and Campaign Scope

The Big Deal Promo focuses on Tier-1 markets and includes all projects operated by Big Betty Partners.

Affiliates working with these markets can integrate the promotion into strategies across multiple traffic sources, including:

SEO
PPC
ASO
influencer marketing
email marketing
media buying campaigns

Each FTD generated during the promotion adds Betty Points to the partner’s balance, turning performance directly into reward potential.

The campaign includes 100 prize positions, allowing affiliates to exchange their accumulated points for rewards depending on the number of Betty Points they have earned during the promotion.

Throughout the campaign, affiliate managers provide partners with guidance on GEO selection, campaign optimization, and traffic strategies to help maximize results.

What Happens at the Big Deal Show?

The campaign will conclude during the Big Deal Show, streamed live on June 5, 2026, on the official Big Betty Partners YouTube channel.

During the broadcast, the Big Betty team will unveil the full catalogue of prizes available within the promotion. Each reward will correspond to a specific Betty Points value, allowing partners to determine which items they can claim based on their accumulated balance.

The prize catalogue remains undisclosed throughout the campaign, building anticipation until the live reveal.

Following the broadcast, affiliates will be able to exchange their Betty Points through their affiliate managers. The reward exchange window will remain open until June 10, 2026.

Join the Big Deal Promo

Registration for the Big Deal Promo is already open.

Affiliates interested in participating can sign up at BigBetty.io, activate the promotion, and begin accumulating Betty Points while continuing to earn their regular affiliate commissions.

With several months available before the finale, partners have time to test traffic strategies, scale their campaigns, and build their Betty Points balance ahead of the Big Deal Show reveal.

For affiliates looking to combine traditional revenue models with additional incentives, the Big Deal Promo introduces a campaign format built around measurable performance and long-term partner engagement.

The post Big Betty Partners Launches the Big Deal Promo for Affiliates appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Carsten Koerl Founder and CEO of Sportradar

Sportradar Introduces Playradar, Delivering Sports-Data-Backed Casino Content to Operators Around the Globe

Published

1 hour ago

March 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

sportradar-introduces-playradar,-delivering-sports-data-backed-casino-content-to-operators-around-the-globe

New brand to link sportsbook and casino experiences via exclusive hybrid content.

Sportradar Group AG, a prominent worldwide sports technology firm that develops engaging experiences for sports enthusiasts and bettors, today unveiled Playradar, a specialized brand providing a comprehensive ecosystem of interconnected gaming experiences for international operators. This signifies the subsequent phase in the development of Sportradar’s iGaming operations.

Sportradar has recently appointed Edo Haitin, the former CEO of Playtech Live, to head its iGaming division as part of this expansion. Haitin offers over 20 years of experience in iGaming operations, live casino development, and executive leadership, contributing senior-level knowledge to enhance Sportradar’s iGaming expansion.

Playradar will leverage Sportradar’s live and historical sports data and AV streams, combined with casino games, to create unique, proprietary, hybrid products featuring:

Live 24/7 Experience Centre – players will be offered a game and a live stream to watch simultaneously on the same screen, blending sports viewing and gaming for pure engagement or betting real money. This creates a community and opportunities for players to interact in real-time, sharing tips, game preferences and reactions.
Live & Historical Streaming Sports/Casino Hybrid Content – transforming real sporting moments into interactive event driven gameplay by blending live and historical sports streaming with casino mechanics to create innovative hybrid gaming experiences. A live prediction product will also be powered by Sportradar’s live data.
Premium iGaming Content – virtual sports and a full suite of casino games, from slots and table games to arcade and crash, developed to the highest standards for a positive player experience.

Sportradar is exceptionally poised to expand its iGaming operations by leveraging its current game studio, sports data knowledge, streaming abilities, and worldwide distribution network. The marketing, acquisition, and retention technologies of the company utilize profound understanding of player behavior across both betting and iGaming sectors, strengthening Sportradar’s connections with sportsbook and casino operators globally. Since most of Sportradar’s clients already function in both areas, iGaming serves as an organic pathway to foster sustained monetization and lifetime value in conjunction with betting.

Playradar will function solely in regulated markets, incorporating responsible gaming and integrity into each product it offers. Game launches are planned for 2026, starting in the UK, North America, and Latin America. The complete product lineup will include classic table games, arcade games, slots, and virtual sports.

Carsten Koerl, Founder and CEO of Sportradar, said: “iGaming represents a natural and scalable extension of our business, and a strategic acceleration of our long-term growth roadmap. Playradar content is designed to provide optimized cross-sell between the worlds of sport and casinos, helping operators to increase player value and session length at a time when engagement and retention are key to operational sustainability. In Edo, we have an experienced and proven industry leader to drive the business forward, with the support of a passionate and dedicated team.”

Edo Haitin, EVP of iGaming added: “By combining our unrivalled experience in sports data and live streaming, along with a proven track record of product development, we aim to create hybrid content and gaming experiences to capitalize on the rising popularity of sports casino consumption. We’re uniquely positioned to seamlessly blend live and historical sports events, innovative gaming mechanics, and casino content and have the advantage of being able to distribute games to an already licensed portfolio of operators. I’m incredibly excited to be further strengthening our iGaming business through Playradar and to grow it into a leader in iGaming content, leveraging Sportradar’s existing resources and the highly experienced and skilled team already in place.”

The post Sportradar Introduces Playradar, Delivering Sports-Data-Backed Casino Content to Operators Around the Globe appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Games Global

Games Global and Just For The Win® continue the ghostly adventure in Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage™

Published

2 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

games-global-and-just-for-the-win-continue-the-ghostly-adventure-in-dark-waters-iii-power-combo:-the-cursed-voyage

Games Global, in collaboration with studio partner Just For The Win, has launched Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage, the latest entry in its established pirate-themed slot franchise.

The release builds on the success of previous titles in the Dark Waters series, introducing new mechanics and enhanced progression systems designed to increase player engagement. As competition intensifies in the online slots market, sequels that evolve proven formulas are becoming a key strategy for suppliers looking to retain player interest.

Set within a supernatural seafaring world, the game features a 6×4 grid with 4,096 ways to win. A central addition is the Sail into Riches progression meter, which guides players through a six-stage journey, unlocking feature upgrades and gameplay enhancements as they advance. This progression-based approach reflects a broader trend in slot development, where layered mechanics are used to extend session time and improve retention.

At the core of the gameplay is the Cash Collect feature, allowing Money Symbols ranging from 5x to 5,000x to land across the reels. Wins are triggered when a Collect symbol appears, creating the potential for high-value payouts.

The game also incorporates a Free Spins mode activated by Bonus Tokens, showcasing the signature Power Combo mechanic. This includes features such as Giant Reels, Stack Collect, and Golden Reels, which can combine and upgrade across four levels. At maximum progression, the reel layout expands to a 6×8 grid, offering up to 262,144 ways to win and significantly increasing payout potential.

Additional gameplay depth is introduced through the Diamond Menu, which offers features like Bonus Hunt, Coin Burst, Crew’s Choice, and Captain’s Choice—each providing alternative paths to access or enhance bonus functionality.

Commenting on the release, Edward Eklund, Account Manager at Just For The Win® Studios, said:

“With Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage, we wanted to build a sense of progression that players can really feel, where every spin contributes to something bigger.

“Combining that journey with the flexibility of the Power Combo mechanic allowed us to create a game that constantly evolves and keeps players engaged.”

David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, added:

“This latest instalment shows how Just For The Win® continues to refine and elevate a proven concept, building on the strong success of the Dark Waters series so far.

“Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage stands out for the way it keeps gameplay fresh while staying instantly accessible. It is a fantastic addition that strengthens what has already been a hugely popular trilogy.”

The release aligns with broader industry trends highlighted by organisations such as the Malta Gaming Authority, where innovation in mechanics and responsible engagement remain central to market growth.

For more on slot development trends, see Europa Gaming’s coverage on Slot Mechanics Evolution and iGaming Game Design Trends.

As suppliers continue to refine successful franchises, releases like Dark Waters III demonstrate how iterative innovation—rather than entirely new concepts—can play a key role in sustaining long-term player engagement in the iGaming sector.

The post Games Global and Just For The Win® continue the ghostly adventure in Dark Waters III Power Combo: The Cursed Voyage™ appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.