Rubberbanding – just the word can make any gamer groan in frustration.
Whether you’re deep in an intense online match or exploring an open-world adventure, the moment your character snaps back to where they were seconds ago is enough to send your controller flying.
But what exactly is rubberbanding? Why does it happen? And, most importantly, how can you stop it? Let’s dive into this annoying phenomenon and figure out what’s causing it, how to fix it, and why it’s such a nightmare for gamers.
What is Rubberbanding? What Does it Look Like?
Rubberbanding in online gaming refers to a type of lag where your character seems to “snap” back to a previous position after moving forward.
It happens when you move forward in the game, but the server still registers your old position. When it finally receives the delayed update, it corrects your movement and pulls your character back to where they “should” be.
Imagine sprinting toward the enemy flag in a shooter, only to find yourself magically teleported back to where you started.
This issue is a common sign of connectivity problems between your device and the game server.
What does it look like in-game? Well, it’s pretty easy to spot. Here are some examples:
- In an FPS game, you rush into cover only to be yanked back into the open where you’re promptly eliminated.
- In a racing game, you’re cruising ahead but suddenly appear back at the last checkpoint.
- In an MMO, your character teleports back several steps after moving forward, disrupting your quest or combat.
No matter the genre, rubberbanding is as frustrating as it is immersion-breaking.
How Can You Stop Rubberbanding in Games?
The good news? Rubberbanding isn’t some unsolvable mystery.
The bad news? It’s not always something you can fix entirely on your own. Here are some tips and tricks to minimize it and (hopefully) banish it for good:
1. Check Your Internet Connection
A stable, fast internet connection is the foundation of smooth online gaming. If you’re playing on Wi-Fi, consider switching to a wired Ethernet connection.
Wi-Fi is convenient but prone to interference, especially if other devices are hogging the bandwidth.
2. Close Background Applications
Streaming videos, downloading files, or keeping ten tabs open in your browser can steal precious bandwidth.
Close anything unnecessary to ensure your game gets the lion’s share of your internet.
3. Use NoPing
Sometimes, the route your data takes to the game server isn’t the most efficient. A game booster like NoPing can optimize your connection by finding a better path for your data packets.
Here’s how to use NoPing to fix high ping in Fortnite:
- Sign-up through the website and download NoPing (you can test it for free).
- Open NoPing and search for your game inside the software
- Once you find it, click on it and, on the next screen, select “Choose automatic” or “Choose manual” and click “Continue”. We recommend choosing automatic, as NoPing’s technology analyzes all routes on a global scale and automatically selects the best option for you.
- On the next screen, click on “Optimize Game”.
And that’s it, you can start playing with optimized ping!
4. Optimize Your Network Settings
Make sure your router’s Quality of Service (QoS) settings prioritize gaming traffic. Updating your router’s firmware can also improve performance.
If your router’s old or low-quality, upgrading to a gaming router might be worth it.
5. Choose Servers Wisely
Always pick a game server close to your location. The further you are from the server, the higher your ping, which can contribute to rubberbanding.
Some games let you manually select servers, so take advantage of that option.
6. Keep Your Hardware in Check
While rubberbanding is mostly a network issue, your hardware shouldn’t be overlooked.
Ensure your gaming PC or console meets the game’s recommended specs, and update your drivers regularly.
7. Contact Your ISP
If all else fails, your internet service provider (ISP) might be the problem. Some ISPs throttle connections during peak hours or offer inconsistent speeds.
Talk to them about your issues or consider switching to a gamer-friendly ISP.
What Can Cause Rubberbanding?
To fight rubberbanding, you need to understand its root causes. Here are the most common culprits:
1. High Ping
Ping measures how quickly your device communicates with the game server. High ping means delayed responses, which can lead to the server “correcting” your position and causing rubberbanding.
2. Packet Loss
When data packets (tiny chunks of game information) don’t make it to the server, your game has gaps in communication. This often results in rubberbanding or other lag issues.
3. Network Congestion
If your network is overloaded with other devices or users, your gaming performance will take a hit. It’s like trying to drive on a highway during rush hour.
4. Server-Side Issues
Sometimes, it’s not you—it’s the game’s servers. Overloaded or poorly optimized servers can cause widespread rubberbanding for players.
5. Outdated Network Equipment
Your modem, router, or Ethernet cable might be past its prime. Older equipment often struggles to handle modern gaming requirements.
6. Bufferbloat on the home router
Bufferbloat happens when the router builds up too much data in its internal buffers before sending it out. This delays movement packets and sends them in uneven bursts, causing updates to arrive late.
When the server finally receives these delayed packets, it snaps the character back to a previous position, producing the rubberbanding effect.
7. Route changes increase latency
Unexpected changes in routing paths can increase latency without warning. During these spikes, the game client predicts your position based on outdated data. Once the server finally replies with your actual location, it often contradicts the client’s prediction, pulling your character backward to sync with the server’s version of reality.
8. Intermittent packet loss
Sporadic packet loss causes some movement updates to never reach their destination. These gaps in communication are filled by sudden corrections from the server, which repositions the player based on the last confirmed state, often behind where the client thought they were.
9. Moderate DDoS attacks
Even low-intensity DDoS attacks can partially overload network links, causing inconsistent latency and delays in packet delivery. The player sees normal movement briefly, then suddenly gets pulled back when the server receives delayed or out-of-order updates and attempts to correct the position.
10. Lack of peering between ISPs
When internet service providers don’t have direct peering agreements, packets may need to exit the country and take longer routes. This greatly increases latency and expands the client’s prediction window. The more time the client spends guessing, the more likely it is to be corrected later by the server—causing rubberbanding.
11. Firewalls scanning large packets
Some firewalls perform deep packet inspection and take longer to process large packets, especially in networks using NAT or corporate setups. This delays part of the data stream, so only some updates arrive on time. When the game tries to make sense of it all, players may experience snapping or backward movement.
12. Server under heavy load
If the game server is operating under high load, it may process game physics and player input more slowly. This delay means it takes longer to confirm and respond to your movements, leading to late corrections that appear as rubberbanding during gameplay.
13. Switches under maintenance
When part of the network infrastructure is under maintenance, only some routes may be rerouted. As a result, packets from the same session can travel through paths with very different latencies, creating inconsistencies. The game struggles to keep everything synced, and this desynchronization leads to rubberbanding.
14. Radio interference on wireless connections
Connections that rely on radio signals (such as Wi-Fi or fixed wireless) are vulnerable to electromagnetic interference. When interference occurs, the system may need to retransmit data to ensure accuracy. These repeated transmissions stack up delay, affecting real-time gameplay and causing your character to jump backward.
15. Drivers using interrupt moderation
Some network drivers use interrupt moderation to reduce CPU load by batching data before sending it. While this can improve overall system efficiency, it introduces small delays in real-time traffic, such as movement updates in games. These mini-lags often result in rubberbanding.
16. Misconfigured DNS connects to distant servers
When DNS is misconfigured or points to inefficient servers, your game may connect to a datacenter much farther than necessary. This increases your base ping and widens the prediction window. The longer the client relies on assumptions, the harsher the server’s corrections will be—causing frequent rubberbanding.
What are the Consequences of Rubberbanding?
Rubberbanding doesn’t just ruin your fun; it can have serious consequences in competitive and cooperative games. Let’s break it down:
Competitive Games
In games like CS:GO or Fortnite, every millisecond counts. Rubberbanding can cost you a match by putting you in the wrong position at the wrong time. You might miss critical shots, lose objectives, or fall behind in a race—all because of a network hiccup.
Cooperative Games
In MMOs or co-op games, rubberbanding can frustrate your teammates. Imagine trying to heal an ally or coordinate a group attack, only for your character to warp out of position. This can lead to failed missions and tension within your squad.
Immersion
Even in non-competitive games, rubberbanding breaks immersion. It’s hard to feel like a hero saving the world when you’re constantly snapped back to a random spot.
Player Frustration
Finally, let’s not underestimate how annoying this issue can be. Rubberbanding can make a great game feel unplayable, leading to rage-quits and even uninstallations.
Another Meanings of Rubberbanding in Games
Interestingly, “rubberbanding” can mean something entirely different in certain contexts.
In game design, it’s a mechanic used to balance gameplay by giving losing AI players a chance to catch up. You’ve probably encountered it in racing games, where AI opponents seem to magically gain speed when you’re in the lead. It’s called rubberbanding because the difficulty “snaps back” to keep the game competitive.
In RPGs, balancing the power of enemies to match the players’ level is also known as rubberbanding.
Rubberbanding can also mean a method where players use a physical rubber band on their controller to force analog sticks or buttons (such as triggers) to stay engaged. This is commonly done to appear active in online game modes that automatically kick idle players.
This type of rubberbanding is often used to pad stats or boost progress. For instance, in team-based game modes where all players earn XP—especially for winning—a player might use rubberbanding to gain XP without actively participating in the game.
Source: Arkade
Rubberbanding is one of the most infuriating issues in online gaming, but understanding it is the first step toward fixing it. Whether it’s your internet connection, your hardware, or the game server at fault, there are plenty of ways to tackle this problem.
By optimizing your setup and using a game booster, you can minimize the chances of getting snapped back to a previous position.
You can try NoPing for 7 days for free and experience what it’s like to have an optimized connection!
