# Gaming

Online gaming has become increasingly popular in recent years and for good reason. Multiplayer games can transport you to different worlds while also giving you the opportunity to explore those worlds with friends. This connection between people who share the same interest can be a source of social support and a way for you to destress from everyday worries.

Using local game servers still remains a widely used method to incorporate multiplayer capabilities in online games. With this approach, you can create your own servers and have more control over the game settings. [Playing multiplayer games over Meshnet ](https://nordvpn.com/gaming/)offers some benefits compared to playing over a traditional local area network (LAN). You can connect with other players even if you're not physically in the same location.

Additionally, [port forwarding](https://nordvpn.com/blog/port-forwarding/) is not needed as Meshnet's architecture allows devices to communicate with each other directly, which contributes to a secure connection.

The following articles provide details on how you can use Meshnet in online gaming:

* [How to make a private Minecraft server with Meshnet](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/~/changes/Ppg3bMoVHwMks6LohjqQ/how-to/gaming/make-private-minecraft-server)
* [How to create a private Stardew Valley server](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/~/changes/Ppg3bMoVHwMks6LohjqQ/how-to/gaming/stardew-valley)
* [How to play Roblox over Meshnet](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/~/changes/Ppg3bMoVHwMks6LohjqQ/how-to/gaming/roblox)
* [How to play Quake 3 Arena via Meshnet](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/~/changes/Ppg3bMoVHwMks6LohjqQ/how-to/gaming/quake3-arena)
* [How to set up a private Team Fortress 2 server with Meshnet](https://meshnet.nordvpn.com/~/changes/Ppg3bMoVHwMks6LohjqQ/how-to/gaming/team-fortress2)