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Free online Games Lagged Again? Here are Why and How to Fix It

Last updated : 2023-07-31

This post aims at killing your headache of free online games lag issues. When free online games lagged again, check the following reasons and solutions.

 

Playing free online games is a great way to pass the time and have fun, but few things are more frustrating than when those games lag. Nothing kills the enjoyment of gaming quite like choppy performance and slow response times. So why do free online games often lag and stutter? There are a few key reasons and solutions.

 

 

Why Free Online Games Lagged?

 

  • Many free online games lagged because they are not properly optimized. Extensive graphics, textures, physics and other processing effects put a heavy load on your computer hardware, especially when played directly in your web browser. Game developers don't always optimize performance for lower-end pcs when releasing free web games. This can lead to lag as the graphics card and CPU struggle to run the game smoothly.

 

  • Internet connection issues are a big cause of lag. Free online games require a constant stable internet connection for smooth gameplay. But bandwidth limitations, wireless interference, distance from the router, congestion and packet loss all disrupt the connection, leading to lag. For lag-free gaming, a wired ethernet connection or quality router placed nearby is best.

 

  • Some lag comes from the game's servers themselves. When free online games gain popularity, servers struggle to handle spikes in traffic. Insufficient server capacity leads to connectivity issues for players, no matter how solid their internet is. Server lag tends to be temporary though, improving once capacity is expanded.

 

  • Out of date hardware drivers can sabotage performance. Graphics card drivers especially play a huge role in gaming. Default motherboard drivers and network card drivers also impact connectivity. Updating to the latest optimized drivers is crucial for lag-free gaming.

 

  • Other software running on your computer eats up ram and cpu resources needed by games. Too many browser tabs and background apps lead to sluggish performance. Closing unused programs frees up memory and processing power for smoother gameplay.

 

  • Free online games are often riddled with annoying ads which affect performance. Excessive, intrusive ads hog resources and network bandwidth, introducing lag and input delays. Using an ad blocker greatly improves the gaming experience.

 

 

How to Fix Free online Game Lag Issue?

 

Lag is one of the biggest fun killers during free online games. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to optimize performance and eliminate stuttering, freezes and input delay.

 

  • Close any other programs running in the background. Browser tabs, messaging apps and software you aren't actually using take up ram and CPU resources needed by games. Shut them down before launching your game for smoother sailing.

 

  • Update your graphics drivers. Outdated GPU drivers are a leading cause of game lag. Go to your graphics card manufacturer's website, find your model, and download the latest optimized drivers. Installing them gives a boost to frame rates.

 

  • Tweak your in-game settings. Lower the display resolution, reduce graphic quality from ultra to medium, and limit the frame rate to match your monitor's refresh rate. This eases the strain on your hardware so it can maintain smoother gameplay.

 

  • Use a wired internet connection for consistent speeds. Wireless connections suffer from interference and bandwidth splits with other devices. Ethernet cables provide lag-free stability essential for gaming. If Wi-Fi is your only option, try moving closer to the router.

 

  • Disable background apps and turn off programs with persistent notifications like email clients. These eat up chunks of resources that could be utilized by games. Limit them to free up memory, CPU, and internet bandwidth.

 

  • Update your operating system and browser. Older OS versions and browsers have slower rendering engines. Newer ones are optimized for graphically intense web content like games. Updates also fix performance-related bugs.

 

  • Add exceptions for your game sites in your antivirus and firewall. Overzealous security software can intercept game traffic and cause connection issues leading to lag. Excluding your gaming URLs prevents this.

 

  • Use a gaming booster like GearUP to route your traffic through faster pathways. It will reduce ping, latency and lag by connecting you to nearby servers and optimizing pathways between you and game servers.

 

 

Conclusion

 

Insufficient optimization, internet issues, server capacity, outdated drivers, resource-hogging apps and intrusive ads are key reasons free online games lagged. But following the tips we mentioned here will significantly improve performance issues when playing free browser-based games. Hope you can enjoy stutter-free and lag-free gameplay even when gaming for free!