top of page

Latency Testing

Quantitative:

  • Quantitative data answers what is happening using numbers
    (e.g., error counts, completion rates, time on task, crash frequency)
     

Best Stage: Alpha → Post-Launch

Primary Goal: Evaluating performance, responsiveness, and gameplay stability under different network conditions

Effort: High

Overview

Latency testing is the process of measuring how delays in data transmission (also known as "lag") affect the player experience. It evaluates how game performance and responsiveness are impacted when players experience poor or unstable internet conditions.

What You Test

  • Character control delays (e.g., in fighting or action games)

  • Desync issues (e.g., two players seeing different game states)

  • Hit registration accuracy

  • Matchmaking fairness based on ping

  • Recovery behavior (e.g., reconnection, error messages)

Tools

  • Clumsy (Windows) – Free tool to simulate latency, packet loss, and bandwidth drops

  • Network Link Conditioner (macOS) – Built-in for simulating various conditions

  • WANem – Advanced tool for enterprise-level network simulation

  • Unity/Unreal network emulation tools – Built-in options for simulating latency and packet issues

bottom of page