There’s no denying that gaming broadens the mind by exposing you to different situations, cultures, and characters that are different from what you are accustomed to. Traveling does this, too. Traveling as a gamer or streamer gives you the chance to combine your love of gaming and exploring digital worlds with the opportunity to do the same in real destinations.
If you have decided to see what the outside world has to offer, there are a few considerations you should make. From getting all the relevant documentation to adjusting your streaming hours to local time zones, this guide will give you everything you need to successfully travel abroad while still doing what you love.
Get Relevant Documentation
One of the more boring parts of going on vacation or visiting another country is sorting out the documentation you need. Countries have different requirements for entry; if you are from the US or Canada visiting France, you don’t need a visa if you are staying for less than 90 days, as iVisa explains, but Chinese or South African citizens will need a Schengen visa.
In terms of your passport, that is a must-have. You should also check the details for the country you want to visit, as some won’t allow entry if your passport is close to expiring. Also, be sure to check the customs regulations to find out what you can bring with you.
Bring Portable Gaming Devices
When visiting another country, unless your travel itinerary is full, chances are you won’t be out exploring every second of the day. What if it’s pouring with rain, or it’s dangerous to be outside due to extremely high temperatures? In that case, you should bring portable gaming devices with you.
If you have the money to spare, it’s always worth investing in a gaming laptop, but that might be a bit risky since it could get stolen, misplaced, or broken. Other options include a Nintendo Switch or a Valve Steam Deck. Just be sure to bring the necessary charging cables or adapters for plug points.
Get a Few Offline Games
Before leaving for your trip, you should do some research into the availability of the internet at your destination. Some countries don’t have very fast internet speeds, which could cause problems when playing multiplayer online games, such as high ping.
To be on the safe side, you might want to download a few offline games to play, which are usually single-player, so you can still be entertained during downtime. Just remember that if you buy it from a platform like Steam, you will still need an internet connection to log in and verify ownership of the game. For this, you can use your phone as a hotspot; it won’t use a lot of data.
Consider Time Zones as a Streamer
A big challenge that you might face when traveling as a streamer would be the difference in time zone. As you might know, your audience likely lives in a specific country, and back home, you would stream when they are most active on the streaming platforms.
Traveling to a country with a completely different time zone might put a wrinkle in your streaming schedule. To combat this, either travel somewhere where the time zone isn’t too different or adjust your streaming time to your main audience if possible. Instead of a gaming stream, while traveling, it might be a good idea to do an IRL (in real life) stream.
Be Respectful in Public Places
As fun as gaming or streaming is, keep in mind that not everyone wants to be part of your gaming experience. If you are staying in a hotel, be considerate of other guests, especially during quiet hours. Rather than letting everyone hear your gaming session, wear headphones; it’s more immersive anyway.
If you are streaming, avoid shouting too loudly or banging tables when raging. Of course, it won’t be as entertaining for your viewers if you are streaming, but at least you won’t be kicked out of the hotel.
Finally, remember that you are traveling at the end of the day, so make the most of it. Try to balance your time gaming with time exploring, and if you are a streamer, compensate for the lack of gaming streams with IRL streams. This will help your audience get to know you on a different level, too.
