VRChat released on Feb. 1, 2017 and the community has grown since then. Ugandan Knuckles may have been what initially brought the game its initial popularity, but as the meme has died down the fan base has stayed strong. This is because VRChat has built a up an invested community. You can interact with people through out the world from the safety of your own home. Create avatars, worlds, participate in weekly events, play games, and join the community. Each sever holds many people on it and this can cause lag spikes. While some of the lag is caused by the sever, the rest of it is caused by a users connection to the game. In this post we will show you how to fix lag spikes and lower ping times with a VPN.
How to Fix Lag Spikes in VRChat
Here is the quickest way to improve VRChat lag on PC with a VPN.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee)
- Download the ExpressVPN app and connect to a server in the region you wish to play in.
- Test to see if your ping has lowered from your normal response time.
- Launch VRChat and enjoy!
You can also use ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer service for a faster experience.
- Sign up for ExpressVPN (includes a 30-day money back guarantee)
- Log into Expressvpn.com and go to the “DNS Settings” tab.
- Click the button to register your IP address.
- You can also set dynamic DNS (more technical users)
- Click on the “Dashboard” tab
- Look for the “Set up on all your devices” section and click on the “see all devices” link.
- Click on the set up guide for your system.
- Make note of the IP address given in the set up box to the right of the screen.
- Set the DNS on your system to the IP given on the ExpressVPN site.
Why Does VRChat Lag?
The popularity of VRChat is both a blessing and a curse. As we mentioned, you will be socially interacting with people with differing Internet connection speeds. If you have performance issues when using the Internet in general then you can expect lag spikes when playing VRChat. The two main considerations for lag are your Internet speed and hardware. PC gamers will want to focus on CPU, memory, and graphics card. Everyone needs a fast Internet connection.
How to Fix Lag Spikes in VRChat
Let’s start by looking at the best way to increase your Internet speed and lower ping times. In doing so you can expect less lag and a better gaming experience. We recommend testing a VPN to improve ping and reduce your lag. The key is to find a better route between your system and the game server. Your ISP isn’t focused on this issue as much as VPN providers. They know that it’s a competitive advantage if they can offer you a faster router to key locations. Most of the game developers host regional game servers in the same locations. This allows VPNs to offer better routes and will give you a boost in performance.
VRChat Server Locations
VRChat lets players own their own servers (worlds). From what we can tell some of the official worlds are located in the United States. If you are wanting to play with friends in different regions I would recommend using a location near where the sever you play on is set up.
Here are some of the faster VPN locations to connect to when playing VRChat.
- United States – Washington DC and Los Angeles
- Canada – Toronto or Montreal
- Europe – London, Paris, Frankfurt, Stockholm
- Asia Pacific – Singapore, Seoul. Tokyo, Sydney, Chennai
- South America – Sao Paulo
- China – Hong Kong
System Requirements and Recommendations
This section is mainly for PC gamers. You will want to make sure you have the proper system specs for VRChat. The minimum requirements are often not enough to enjoy the game.
You will want to come as close as possible (or above) these recommended system specs.
- Operating system – Windows 8.1, 64 bits or higher
- Processor – Intel® i5-4590 or AMD FX 8350
- Memory – 4 GB RAM
- Video card – NVIDIA GeForce® GTX 970 or AMD Radeon™ R9 290
- VR (optional): HTC Vive or Oculus Rift
Here is a little more information on using a VPN for gaming.
How to Play VRChat with ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is our best choice for reducing lag. Lag is every gamers worst enemy. Nothing sucks more than terribly high ping and a laggy game. Luckily this does not have to happen. You can reduce your ping and improve your experience by using ExpressVPN. All you have to do is connect to a server location close to where the game is hosted. ExpressVPN is one of the best companies to pick because it has server locations across over 94 cities. Whether you want to play on foreign servers or game in the US, ExpressVPN has you covered. Elite gamers will also be happy to know that ExpressVPN will keep them protected from DDoS attacks by hiding their true IP. You will be able to game with less lag safely.
ExpressVPN can help improve your ping and reduce lag in online games. It will also protect your data through encryption. ExpressVPN has an exclusive discount with our readers that you can take advantage of. You can get a full year of VPN for 49% off with an extra 3 months for free. You will be able to save on your favorite games. Unblock geo-restricted content and get around firewalls at work or school to play anywhere. ExpressVPN gives you a 30 day money back guarantee. You can test out the service for one month and see all the benefits it provides.
