High-speed gaming network GameRail is using routing services from Internap Network Services (INAP) to enhance its low latency connections to its audience of hard-core gaming customers, the companies announced today. Internap helps aggregate local broadband traffic and activity on to GameRail’s nationwide private network, which connects users directly to game sites.
GameRail operates a high speed network that directly connects online game players to servers hosting popular games. GameRail’s business model is to deliver superior performance to its subscribers by peering directly with ISPs, universities and game server providers (GSPs). Low latency (“lag”) is crucial in multiplayer first-person shooter games like CounterStrike, where a slow connection can leave a player at a competitive disadvantage.
“When 20 milliseconds is a matter of ‘life and death’ – winning and losing – for an online gamer, latency, packet loss and jitter can ruin the playing experience,” said Mark Senda, chief executive officer for GameRail. “Internap’s optimized network performance solutions allow us to provide localized ingress and egress connection speeds to three milliseconds, maximizing the flow of real-time Web traffic while optimizing game play.”
Peering with Major GSPs
GameRail has direct connect peering relationships with the leading game server providers with over 80 percent of First Person Shooter (FPS) and Real Time Strategy (RTS) gaming servers attached directly to the company’s private, nationwide network. Internap’s solutions ensure that residential broadband users of all carriers are able to enjoy the optimum gaming experience. Additionally, GameRail features private peering to route traffic away from the Internet and onto its private backbone.
“GameRail has a unique and superior online gaming solution and we are thrilled to work with the company to help them evolve,” said Tim Sullivan, chief technology officer for Internap. “As a Web-reliant enterprise, GameRail’s use of our innovative, proprietary technology is a significant proof point of the power of our resources for Internet-based business.”
Online multiplayer computer gaming is one of the fastest growing entertainment activities in the U.S., with more than 40 million people now playing regularly.
GameRail is operated by Progression LLC, a facilities-based network operator with interconnection facilities in eight major US markets including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Palo Alto, Seattle and St. Louis.
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