TL;DR: How to play video games online while you’re in China & what to expect with VPNs.
Fully detailed version with observations & ping tests etc here due to Reddit character limit - If you have problems still after reading this please DM and I’ll try and help you out. I don’t promise anything but I will try my best!
I’ve made a guide here to help people get online and play as I know just how hard it is. I also made a Rookie Mistakes guide for /r/shanghai which is a bit dated but I’ll update shortly after this to be a bit more relevant to reflect 2 years of change.
EDIT: This had helpful links and whatever but Reddit auto-removes the post if I include them as they’re to Chinese domains. If you want a link to things check the post at the top that has my blog. There’s a version there which should work. Thanks, Reddit!
Unironically thank you though to the mods who pointed this out to me otherwise I’d have been none-the-wiser.
1. PLAYING MULTIPLAYER GAMES ONLINE
#Netease UU Game Booster - A gaming-specific VPN for heavy/addicted players. $7.99 USD a month.
My Experience:
While I mainly play FPSs it more or less covers any given game on the market as that’s what they specialise in. I could also play FFXIV, CIV, Total War, and Stellaris acceptably with it in all regions. My primary advice however is still to play JP or KR servers where possible. Taiwanese and Hong Kong servers have been getting rather bad of late and I suspect that’s due to added policing of internet traffic in general for those locations.
I can’t comment on their privacy but with it based in China, I’d take anything they say with an Atlantic ocean’s worth of salt. They also have free mobile apps that will allow you to connect your mobile games if you’re having issues.
The Good:
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Massive game library support including games that are in beta.
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Customer service that will eventually get back to you within 1–2 days with a solution (Usually to the tune of change your node, reinstall, or just restart your computer).
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WeChat/Visa/Mastercard/Paypal payment options.
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Regional server selection options for specific games (There are some rare but not unheard of days some coverage is not available but they’re usually back within 24 hours).
The Bad:
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English version of the application is…janky. It may cut out in the background without alerting you then needing a restart to get it working again. The killswitch doesn’t work as advertised.
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You won’t know if you can play that day unless you manually select server after server til you find one that works.
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Lag spikes/disconnects are common the further you play from your location.
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No sharing. This account works with only one device at a time.
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Requires your WeChat ID to be registered with them to use the service and soon will require Real ID (Chinese).
奇游加速器 / Qiyou - Gaming specific VPN for heavy usage. 10/20RMB a month.
/u/IMPERIALWRIT swears by it for Apex.
Average ping by ms to different regions for me (from Shanghai, on China Telecom internet)
Singapore: 75-85 Japan: 85-95 HK: 65-75 Taiwan: 70-80 Frankfurt: 190-200 USA Central: 180-190
Other things i like about Qiyou is it has an Origin cache cleaner, and the mobile version has a Google Play installation tool. It also works in conjunction with Astrill for Discord login, etc.
#Tencent Accelerator 腾讯网游加速器 - Gaming specific VPN for heavy gaming. 300RMB anually.
/u/lostinchina1 recommends it.
I’ve had a good experience with for playing Warzone, PUBG, Tarkov, and Starcraft 2 online. I believe it costs around 300 RMB a year or less. They also have extensions for mobile and console games, though I haven’t tried those.
Xunyou- A gaming-specific VPN for heavy usage. $3.99 USD a month.
This is how the Chinese community can play PUBG outside of China. Another game accelerator that is purely for gaming use. You can’t use it to browse the web. It’s touted to simply speed up your game connection but it’ll route you through their servers and allow you to connect to game services that are usually blocked.
I haven’t any ping test data or experience here to share as I haven’t used it but two friends say it’s the most stable to play LOL/DOTA2 with. They’ve both lived in China longer than I and play League of Legends religiously. Obviously, I question their sanity for their preference of games. They at the very least know how to assemble their own computers which may be a tad more reassuring.
EDIT: /u/jhelton808 refutes this and stands by Netease UU being superior for playing outside of China.
Uhh depends what server. The best server to play is honestly the Chinese servers which don’t need one, but if you want to play a riot server the only real playable one is Japan and to play there you’d use UU
It deserves a mention either way. They’re apparently anti-account sharing and requires your WeChat ID. It doesn’t require a real ID just yet.
#Windscribe General purpose VPN for windows/mac/android/ios+ with router support. 10GB FREE / $4.08 a month.
My Experience:
The performance here is good for most games if you play on EAS/SEAS. If you play further afield I’d hope you’re playing something slow-paced. I struggled while playing with my U.S friends but you’ve probably figured out at this point trying to play low-latency games with a VPN is a battle at the best of times. You can happily play FFXIV on it however if you use the Stealth protocol. I recommend you try this because it’s free and the Hong Kong server is pretty fast.
The Good:
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Very intuitive and easy to use.
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Lots of servers to choose from in regions that will allow your game to connect.
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Tokyo server Bosozoku & Kaiju gave me comparable ping and performance to Netease UU booster on JP servers. (These are pro version servers fyi)
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It’s fucking free, mate. Windscribe Pro is also only $4.08 a month
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It provides many different protocols, can run it on practically anything and you can run it on your router.
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Based in Canada where VPNs can actually operate a no-logging policy and you can register anonymously providing you’re even slightly savvy.
The Bad:
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Like with any commercial VPN it suffers from the whack-a-mole situation. IKEv2 isn’t stable for long sessions of gaming so use Wireguard.
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Taiwanese servers are slow for me on China Telecom (I would assume this is an issue with Chinese ISPs in general idk I’m advanced user level, not a technical powerhouse).
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It’s still designed for general purpose and not gaming in mind - which means some server locations are less than ideal.
#Astrill General purpose VPN for windows/mac/android/ios+ with router support. $10.00-$20.00 USD a month.
My Experience:
The results here aren’t as great. Any games that required low latency responses such as movement or firing were hampered heavily outside of EAS. If I needed Steam to just login so I could play games offline though it would work fine for that. Doesn’t work well on 5G but OK with WIFI for some reason.
The Good:
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Very easy to use with a large list of servers to choose from.
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Router support works pretty well.
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You can use on up to 5 devices simultaneously which means you can share this account.
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Speed test functionality will save you a lot of time and headaches when preparing to play (I just wish it would just ping the server like Windscribe as I’m lazy).
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You will eventually find a working server in your location if you keep changing/trying different servers (unlike you Express VPN…)
The Bad:
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Poor gaming performance compared to Netease Game Booster. More likely to suffer disconnections/latency issues. If you disconnect you’re not going to make it back in time for the current or maybe even next round.
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Customer support hasn’t a clue how to help you in China beyond outdated Q&A links on their site.
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They have a slightly off security history and will comply with requests made of them in China.
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No way to anonymously register with them.
Nord VPN Gaming & general purpose VPN for all platforms. $12.22 a month
My Experience:
I used Nord for a while as my friend allowed me to share their account. General web stuff when it connected was pretty good. The downtime was more a result of me running out of servers to find that would work rather than a lack of availability of functioning servers.
It’s not that bad really. It is just not fit for purpose if you want to play online.
Good:
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SO. MANY. SERVERS. Honestly here you’re going to have access to more servers than you’re going to need.
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You can have up to 6 devices under one account. That’s nice to have.
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Clean UI and very simple to use & supports every platform.
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Customer service is fast & fairly knowledgeable about what tips and tricks to use in China (though a few Google searches can probably achieve the same result)
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Easy to get setup on your router.
Bad:
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Suffers almost the same issues Express VPN despite having more servers than there are wumao on Quora ^^and ^^here. It doesn’t matter how many serers you have if most of them are blocked imo.
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Expensive, almost as much as Express VPN.
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Has insufferable adverts all over the place that I can’t stand (bar Internet Historian’s cinematic adverse) touting things it can do in China that in practice it cannot.
Express VPN General-purpose VPN for windows/mac/android/ios $12.95 a month
My Experience:
It’s probably great outside of China but I can’t say I’m taken with it. I have wasted an ungodly amount of time trying to connect to servers only to find that for the day the ones I want won’t work. It also has an annoying bug on iOS which it’ll fail to connect occasionally without warning. To fix this you have to go to your VPN settings and disable then enable connect on demand then try to connect. If that didn’t fix it - try it again until it does.
Other than expats in WeChat groups complaining about Express not working during any given holiday I don’t hear much about it and if I do it’s not very positive. Shoutout to Marina-5 Singapore server for being semi-OK when I first arrived though.
Good:
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Very easy to use UI & lots of payment options
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Can use up to 5 devices for use simultaneously.
Bad:
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Not suitable for gaming other than being able to connect to your game’s authentication server. Even then it has dire performance.
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Expensive for the limited amount of servers (that work in China) it offers compared to other services.
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I can barely believe it’s the “best gaming VPN!” outside of China. Inside of China, however, it’s my least favourite VPN to use because of how long you have to spend manually checking to see which servers work. Even the “suggested” 5 servers for China don’t work as advertised.
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Good-fucking-luck getting online when it’s the Trade Expo, Lianghui, or Golden Week. Or any big holiday where there’s added scrutiny. Astrill can be bad but Express is horrific here.
Private Internet Access - General-purpose VPN. - $11.20 a month
My Experience:
I had PIA for a few years before coming to China. It’s great and easy to use when you’re anywhere else. But in China, it’s just not fit for purpose.
As a result despite the fact I had about a year remaining on my plan I didn’t bother using this at all during my time in China.
Good:
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Easy to set up and install.
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Incredibly cheap if you snag a deal. (That’s it. That’s all I’ve got.)
Bad:
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They appear to have zero interest in operating in China as the servers rarely connect.
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When it does connect it’s not exactly quick.
VPNs that…exist.
PureVPN:
In 2018 someone was arrested due to those logs they “Don’t keep”.
Further, records from PureVPN show that the same email accounts–Lin’s gmail account and the teleportfx gmail account–were accessed from the same WANSecurity IP address. Significantly, PureVPN was able to determine that their service was accessed by the same customer from two originating IP addresses: the RCN IP address from the home Lin was living in at the time, and the software company where Lin was employed at the time.
Never tried it off the back of that as it doesn’t speak well for its security.
SurfShark:
Tried a friend’s account but didn’t work for most of the day so gave up. Might be a conflicting issue with an adapter but I can’t comment on its usage. Wouldn’t be useful for consoles due to lack of port forwarding support. Reddit user “Ethan” enquired to whether they use Cloudflare in their VPNS (that allowed for limited tracking) and they state they do not except for their website now. Which is a massive step up for their privacy as before they were practically full of holes. Well done them.
SwitchVPN:
I know only a single person who uses this and reports similar issues as Astrill/Express now and again. Otherwise, I’ve not heard anything particularly good or bad about it.
Browser Plugin VPNs:
These free VPNs like Hotspot Shield should be avoided on the general principle that these services are slow, insecure, and a minefield for privacy concerns. Absolutely ANY of the above services are better than these. If you simply must use a plugin use one from one of the above paid services.
The Good:
- thEY’rE frEE!
The Bad:
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Most don’t provide an effective traffic kill switch. So if you’re browsing and it cuts out you’ve essentially bared yourself to the world. Imagine you’re outside in public and someone whips off your clothes for a few moments. You stand there awkwardly waiting for your clothes to reappear. They may or may not reappear. That’s essentially what you’re doing.
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They survive and profit by making money off your data. Which is counter-intuitive to using a VPN. They use logs, most likely are backdoored heavily, and can expose you to unnecessary risks.
That’s the free browser plugin experience for you. Just don’t do it.
PLAYING MULTIPLAYER GAMES VIA VLAN
If your game is older (or your game’s publisher isn’t anti-consumer) it may have the option to play via a local network. AoE2, Divinity Original Sin, Quake, Unreal Tournament, Stardew Valley, etc have the option to play via LAN.
This means with VLAN software you’d be able to play with a friend without having to physically be on their network. Latency depends entirely on you and your friend’s connection to one another.
So this is certainly a case where you will have to try these methods to see if they’ll work.
Parsec - Gaming VLAN - $96.00 Annually
Primarily this is a remote gaming option similar to Nvidia shield but its LAN co-op feature is why its here. That will create a VLAN between you and your friend…but this would require you both to have an account. Hands down the best solution if you’re willing to pay for it. I borrowed a work account from time to time and I had no issues with playing Condition Zero on a VLAN with mates. It’s just a shame about the price tag as with living in China one day it may not work and you might be out of pocket.
GameRanger - Gaming VLAN - Free
Very easy to use with over 1000 classic games supported. This is typically will yield better overall performance compared to any other solution listed here bar Parsec for older games. It also has a pretty active community (depending on what you play) so finding others to play with you isn’t a chore. But…sometimes it just doesn’t work. I’ve no idea why but there have been days where it just wouldn’t play ball with me.
Voobly - Gaming VLAN - Free
Fit for purpose gaming VLAN that allows you to play older games such as Warcraft 3, Age of Empires 2/Mythology/3.
Install it, signup, play. It’s pretty simple to use but the downside is that it only supports a few games.
If you speak Chinese and want to play someone at those games though the community is top-notch and will happily curb-stomp you.
Actually found this installed in a few Shanghai gaming hubs.
TeamViewer - VLAN & Remote Desktop Software - Free
Supported in China (Rare, I know. The CCP may have learned from when they decided to block Github and chaos ensued). It’s free, too. That’s a win in my book as you have little to lose here. You and your friend simply connect to one another via your IDs and go.
Just make sure you’re not allowing anyone full/remote access to your desktop while you’re doing so. This is primarily a remote desktop application so don’t expect peerless results for your gaming experience.
SoftEther - Open Source VLAN software- Free
Requires more know-how to get setup but if you run it through port 443 it’ll work. It’s open-source so it’s free to use.
I’d recommend that you take the time to watch a YouTube video to help you get set up if you’re not comfortable with scary-looking GUIs
FREELAN - VLAN Software - Free
Works…kinda? Hit & miss results most likely due to my inept friend not following simple instructions. That said you may struggle to get this working so I’d advise exhausting other options before you give it a crack.
There’s some handy resources on Github I used to eventually get it to work in a workable state though that probably just says more about me than anything.
Tungle, ZeroTier, Radmin, LogMeIn, & Hamachi
Unfortunately, these services are outright blocked or aren’t reliable enough for me to write about here. They suffer from a ton of issues the average reader of this won’t be able to overcome. Tungle is discontinued (RIP) so this won’t change even if you have the legacy application and the know-how. This is a shame because outside of China they’re really handy.
PLAYING SINGLE-PLAYER GAMES THAT REQUIRE ONLINE AUTHENTICATION
This is pretty easy to solve by and large. Your game may require you to login to a server or be online due to some DRM. While this is annoying you can use practically any of the VPN solutions to connect. If a game has DRM though you may want to try and avoid it as a rule as to when the company drops support for your game it may just stop working altogether.
Here are some general tips to try if you’re still unable to connect:
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Change your VPN protocol and ensure “local traffic/smart mode/don’t filter local sites” isn’t enabled. They can mess with your game trying to connect to game services (As it does with R6 Siege for me).
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Check your game config file (usually in My Documents/Games/GAME FOLDER) and change whatever the default server connections are. They may be set to whatever you used to play on before you got to China. Some services even have support for China if you have a quick search.
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Run CMD in windows under administrator and type:
"ipconfig /release" this will tell your computer to get rid of your current configuration for all adapters such as the assigned IP or DNS servers. "ipconfig /renew" this will tell your DHCP server to get fresh settings. "ipconfig /flushdns" this will just clear your DNS cache. It'll do this from time to time anyway but you may as well clear it out if you've done the above. -
As a last resort find a cracked version of the launcher or download an alternative version of your game from a site like “fitgirl repacks” etc. I don’t advocate piracy in general but if you already own the game, where’s the harm? Just realise that these sites/versions may contain malware and that’s on you if you can’t figure out what’s safe and what isn’t.
OFFLINE GAMES
…I don’t know how you’re having problems here but let’s have a crack at it.
First things first, does your game management client (Steam / Origin / Battlenet / etc) have offline functionality?
Typically you can set your client to allow you to play offline but these will require setup beforehand with a working internet connection. Such as downloading the game completely, testing it to see if it works, then choosing in settings the option that will allow you to do this. So don’t forget to do that before you leave.
Consoles tend to be a little easier as you can set them up before you go then just take it with you. Just be aware that if you get a new game it may force you to go online and may then cause problems with your existing library. If for whatever reason you disable that or it just starts up one day and requires you to login/go online…go back up to an earlier section or DM me.
Does your game launch at all?
This is probably not a China thing. It’s probably more of a hardware compatibility issue. I can’t help with that.
Does your game have some elements missing?
Banners or headers in games sometimes look odd simply because they’re there to pull in from an external feed that is currently blocked by the Chinese firewall. These in-game announcements/adverts when blocked may just simply appear as big black/white gaps in your menus. If you can play the core game without any issues this is certainly a blessing you shouldn’t try and fix.
Does your game hang in a loading screen?
It may actually not be a game you can play offline and you need to do the steps in the above section to make it work. Even if it has no obviously online functionality and is solely a single-player game it may have some DRM that requires you to connect at least once to make sure you bought the game legally.
LOCAL OPTIONS
##WECHAT:
Expat Gamers - add berkansonmez as he’ll add you to whichever gaming-related group you need. The man knows his shit. Groups have a limited capacity after 200 members so you need to ask admins to let you in.
Movin- WeChat app where people sell preowned items they no longer need. Typically it’s filled with laowai who are getting the boot and need to leave so prices can be a bloody steal.
###INDEPENDENT TRADERS:
These are places I shop in Shanghai but they’re going to rely on you to do a little detective work regarding getting there.
Taiping @ Xuhui
Go behind the Bainaohui towards the Kung Fu restaurant past Makan. It’s an older off-white building about 4–5 floors tall. On the first floor, you’ll find some Dell/Alienware PC stores. Ignore them and ascend to the second floor packed with independent trader stalls. You can find almost anything there just keep in mind these are Shanghainese traders and they’ll be difficult at times.
Prices aren’t as competitive as online but there’s a massive selection of preowned games and consoles. Not to mention jailbroken Chinese consoles galore.
Play Station @ 1601 Beijing Xi Lu
Alex, an acquaintance of mine, described this as a “mixed experience”. Which is true. There’s a giant cat loafing around so if you have allergies pop some meds.
The owner is a little pushy and her husband just seems to be suffering simply by existing. Alex used the word “henpecked” which to be honest is an apt description. They remind me of my Chinese grandmother and English grandfather a little, to be honest.
They have a bizarre selection. Alex found the Sonic Mania Collectors bundle which included a model replica of a Genesis but no game. I found a really nicely looked after Neo-Geo when I popped down which wasn’t worth the price. It was really tempting though as they also had KoF '98. Oh! I did grab a copy of Legend of the Dragoon for next to nothing. Absolute bargain.
GAMING CENTERS & INTERNET CAFES
Firstly, NEVER LOGIN TO YOUR OWN PERSONAL/GAMING ACCOUNTS. Don’t even use their WIFI. You have no idea what kind of security they use if any, and they may cause you to lose your account.
You may even get it banned as I’m aware that Wanyoo gaming hotels/centres sometimes have cheats pre-installed on their machines and running by default. They can easily be disabled but I’d recommend you ask the staff to “check”. Some may deny that it’s a cheat client but most just pop over and turn them off. The cheating situation with games is fairly normalised and even with experience, I can’t adequately begin to explain why. That’s not why you’re here though.
If you want to play a game they will often provide you with an account or just have ones logged in for you to play. Some with max-level characters or max rank accounts. Takes a lot of the fun out of things for yourself but OK for hopping on with some friends and playing some games. These gaming cafes have excellent services that are quite frankly tiers above anything I’ve seen elsewhere. They’re clean, the equipment is fantastic, and the hourly prices are insanely cheap. The community requires a bit of effort to crack but it’s far from impossible.
Search for “网鱼网咖” or “internet bars” near your area. You’ll have to look around but it’s worth the wandering about.
I personally recommend in Shanghai the gaming centre on Yichuan Lu near Luochuan. You can’t miss it as on the ground floor by the elevator that will take you up are massive game-related posters and banners. They’ll set you up on the sly without needing to use a Chinese ID to get online. They may want a photo of your passport just in case but that’s life here.
If you see anyone playing a game you recognise that can be basis enough for a firm friendship. You’ll probably get challenged at some point to Counter-Strike GO/1.6/Source. At 33 I wasn’t the oldest person there but I had some pride in maintaining a barely positive K/D. The local RTS scene is absolutely booming so if you’re into League of Legends or Dota 2 you want to check these spots out.
LAN PARTIES, ARCADES, & BARS
Code Bunker @ Agora Space
If you’re in Shanghai I’d recommend the LAN party events by CodeBunker at Agora Space. They do them regularly, everyone there is wonderfully welcoming, and they have the fastest co-working space internet in Shanghai according to SmartShanghai. It’s in a dope underground bunker too.
Games provided or available to play are CS 1.6, Quake III, Starcraft, Age of Empires, Minecraft, Call of Duty, Pro Evo Soccer, and Tekken. There’s some VR stuff and other games too but that’s the bulk of it. If you can’t bring your own machine there are limited ones around for use too but be prepared to swap out or wait long times depending on how busy it is. The people that operate it are absolutely lovely and have all the time in the world to help you with whatever you need.
Liehuo @ 4F 77 Jiangning Lu
A hardcore arcade gamer’s dream as this is where the real meaty competition goes down. Everyone I’ve played here is a God and I’ve found new ways to embarrass myself I didn’t know could exist.
If you see someone holding the joystick inverted…don’t play them.Radii did a sick piece detailing the culture there I’d recommend you read. They cover it better than I ever could. They also have interviews with some of the best players down there.
It’s not all just for pros and the hardcore crowd. Everyone’s welcome and the atmosphere is akin to the late 90s arcade boom if you remember that.
If you never had an arcade phase this is probably your last chance to get a taste so go down there and check it out.
Party King & Fengyun Zaiqi @ People’s Square
You’ve got archery, bowling, axe throwing, pool, and arcade games. With Beat Saber and various VR games set up on multiple consoles. There are also a few jailbroken consoles with a plethora of games dumped on them. Did I mention it’s also a bar? The vibe here is rather relaxed and it runs till as late as 2 am some nights. It’s 150rmb for all night access with one free drink. Absolute bargain. It isn’t very well supervised I must admit. I would absolutely love to see their accident book based on the number of drunk people I see trying the archery or axe throwing.
Fengyun Zaiqi is located next door and has a large selection of different arcade cabinets. The most popular ones revolve around fighting games but there’s a few classics and multi-cabinets there in case you want to get your Golden Axe or Gauntlet fix. It’s no Leihuo but if you prefer a more chilled environment this might be it for you.
Jaga @ Yueda 889 plaza (underground)
Fucking massive arcade space with tons of classic & new arcade games. Fairly busy most of the time but the sheer size of it means you’re never waiting for anything. A lot of the games have ID cards you can use to track your process for when you come back.
The Senjō no Kizuna (Gundam mech game) is no longer there as I think the game servers were closed down. Hopefully, when the new one comes out they’ll get it again but it didn’t seem as popular as I’d imagine it to be.
…I thought it was pretty cool anyway. There’s also guaranteed to be a college DDR crowd around weekends.
The Hai (Previously Kangaroo) @ Yonjia Lu
Pretty sure this used to be a spot for prostitutes. Pre-kangaroo days anyway. Occasionally an older laowai would turn up, squint around and make weird comments, then awkwardly leave. The people who work there are absolute darlings so don’t be like those dudes.
Recently renovated the owners’ Dan & Tim are Shanghai local living legends. Tim also owns Meatballers on Yongkang lu and they’re the best subs in town. Absolutely flawless.
Anyway, the reason you might want to go there is there’s a massive screen with a switch set up for Smash Bros & Mario cart. It’s dog friendly and a nice place just for a pint either way.
Spectres Bar @ 753 Yuyuan Lu
Now I know what you’re thinking. This grungy, sticky-floored, party spot where people pass out drunk outside? The one where a bartender is rumoured to have hospitalised a punter? Well on the off chance for whatever reason you can’t go to any of the above…they have a couple of working cabinets dotted about. Sure beats the wonky pool table with perpetually missing balls.
Your last resort but it’s not as bad as some people say it is. They’re multi-cabinets but free to use. Press and hold the start button on player one to reset and go to the game selection menu. They have Street Fighter, Marvel vs Capcom, King of Fighters, 1942/44 and a thousand other things.
They even have a really cool Romance of the Three Kingdoms co-op game that now thinking about it I should find a port somewhere.
So that’s it.
I’ve exhausted the little I know about gaming in China and I hope for anyone just turning up this helps. I remember when I first arrived I absolutely struggled to get online and that everywhere there was simply outdated or conflicting information. If you have anything to add for your area please share because you never know who this could help.
Game on, everybody. Game on.
P.S: Got questions? Ask them in the comments and I’ll get back to you when I see them. I might not be able to help but I’ll at least try.