Downtime can be explained as a time when a feature, app, software, website, machine, or for many of us – mostly games, are out of their service. The issue could arise from either hardware problems or any glitch in the software. It could also be due to connectivity issues, overload, excessive traffic, lag time, and anything in between that keeps you from doing what you want to with that feature, service, app, or game.
Downtime plays a big part in the gaming world, where it can be simply defined as the time when you are actively taking part in the game or following in on any action. The simplest example could be to think of a chess game where you wait for your opponent to make his move. Each time you are done with your turn, you wait for the other and hence, downtime. The time-space could increase as you add more players or increase the length of the game.
The concept can be simply understood with the game of ludo. Each time you have rolled the dice and played your part, you have to wait for three consecutive dice rolls, time taken for decision making, and then get to play again.
With video games, the downtime could translate to when you are not racing on the latest model of your car or when you are waiting on the table of a card game for the other players to show their hand or make their move. In many games, it could be when you are not up and loaded and shooting your opponents.
On the other side, you could also face downtime issues where you are not indulging in the action of the game if the game has a history of glitches and goes down for any hardware or software issues. These could be service outages or connectivity interruptions that force you away from the action.
Why is downtime necessary?
You can’t always switch on your console and head in for your battle. Downtime in your game could mean that you get to make more informed decisions, especially in games like chess or cards, where each move allows you to think of all possible outcomes and how your next move could take you closer to the big win.
Similarly, in multiplayer games, downtime can translate to you bonding with the group of people you choose to play with, even if they are continents away. Hence, you get to socialize while doing something you genuinely like and spend quality time with your chosen people.
The break you get from chasing people or doing what your game requires also means you get a much-needed break from all the stress of the game.
Downtime is to check if everything in the game is working as it should and that the servers, hardware, software and the codes underneath are all doing okay. All in all, you finally get to play a nice game with no lags while you are in the middle of the action.
Games that experience the most downtime:
Many games like Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, Pokemon Go and Call of Duty, and Fortnite frequently experience the most downtime. Usually, you see a significant increase in the issue if your choice of Consoles is PSN. But the significant thing to see here is that these games come with a vibrant UI experience with detailed graphics and more.
Also, these usually go under regular updates, meaning you have to stay away from the action until the new features are installed, and hence this leads to downtime. These forced downtimes would not otherwise happen if the updates were not so frequent and regular.
But, another thing to consider for the considerably lengthy downtime of these games is that these are heavy multiplayer games and come with an option of social focus where you get to interact and collaborate with players thousands of miles away. Hence, there is always a hefty load on the servers. This, again, is something you can take advantage of as you get to decide your next move with so much time to spare. Moreover, the updates each time only roll in with better UX, more features, and better arenas for you to enjoy.
Now, if you have played Fortnite, Call of Duty, or PUBG, you know that these games making the top of the list of games experiencing the most downtime does not necessarily mean that the game is not worth your time. If anything, these are a few of the most popular games around the globe.
The other reason for extended downtimes could be specifically the console you use and how often its online service experiences downtime.
Now that you know how important it could be for you to take a breather from shooting or racing or scheming on your screen, you could learn how to spend your downtime wisely and make the most out of it. Find out more about engaging your downtime in a better way as you learn to appreciate putting down your controller every once in a while.