This article is sponsored by Qualcomm Technologies
One of the most popular gaming genres is the mass-survival free-for-all known as battle royale. Featuring household names like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, battle royale games now account for almost a third of all PC gaming. But the genre has taken root on mobile, too: of the 250 million regular Fortnite players, over 100 million play on phones or tablets. Less intense than battle royale, but still equally popular, are a host of communal games where hundreds—even thousands!—of people tune in to play together. You’ve probably heard of the most famous, HQ, a trivia game.
Powering this shift are improvements in online connectivity and a crop of premium smartphones built for gaming, which have transformed how we play over the last couple of years. Our games are now more communal, more interactive, and complex, as well as more deeply embedded into the zeitgeist. And these games wouldn’t be possible without devices that can manage multi-gigabit internet connections, state-of-the-art graphics processing, and power efficiency, all at once.
Today, devices are poised for the next breakthrough in mobile gaming, thanks to Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 5G Mobile Platforms. Qualcomm Technologies is the company that helped bring you 3G- and 4G-enabled devices—powered by Snapdragon processors—and now Snapdragon 5G Mobile Platforms are delivering the tech that makes the next wave of great gaming possible.
Behind this wave is the Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF System. Like 4G and 3G before it, 5G brings advances in internet connectivity. Its download speeds reach a whopping 7.5 Gbps. 5G is several times faster than 4G, which is several times faster than 3G, both of which were trailblazing standards not so many years ago! Gaming requires loads of data to be transferred every second, so extreme data speeds are the core of the next generation in gaming. But it’s also just the beginning.
Beyond that, the Snapdragon 5G Modem-RF System has cutting-edge technologies for optimizing upload and download speeds, which is crucial for gaming—sub-optimal connection management is one of the main culprits of lag. In fact, it has very low latency, a crucial requirement for gamers, who need ultimate responsiveness whether they’re running and gunning or trying to choose an answer before the buzzer runs outs.
With greater network efficiency and capacity from 5G, why not add in a livestream as you play? You’ll definitely have the bandwidth—in fact, 5G is the perfect e-sports companion. Add in advanced power-saving technology—which means your game time is not only more advanced, it also lasts longer—and this all leads to an incredible, untethered experience perfect for both hardcore gamers and gamers on the go.
What crazy new worlds will 5G unlock? With advances in augmented reality and on-the-go connectivity, games could evolve into insanely robust AR experiences. Imagine all the games you love now—whether it’s a massive online shooter, a racing game, or your favorite sports sim—taking a page from Pokémon Go’s playbook: you can run around the real world playing the latest game and not worry for a moment about connectivity, lag, or battery.
By providing a stronger and faster internet connection, 5G makes things that are only feasible on hardcore desktop setups—like in-game two-way video chat—more than just a dream. In fact, the dream is already on its way to reality: 5G is rolling out across the country and all you need to do is look for devices—including phones, routers, and hotspots—powered by Snapdragon 5G technologies.
Qualcomm 5G technology is licensed by Qualcomm Incorporated. Qualcomm 5G products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Qualcomm Snapdragon is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.