Capcom’s decision to gate Marvel Tokon behind 132 country blocks, one of which is an Evo host, put region locking back in the news for PC players. This is not a new problem: publishers regularly ship a game everywhere the storefront allows, then wall off multiplayer or the whole title in markets where they lack licensing. A VPN can move the store or the client into a supported region, but a wrong pick makes matchmaking miserable, adds hundreds of milliseconds of ping, or gets an account flagged. The best VPN apps for playing region-locked PC games below are the seven that get the storefront to serve the right region, then step out of the way when the game itself connects.
We looked at seven services on Windows, macOS, and Linux, judged on real routing quality, split tunnelling so the game bypasses the tunnel after purchase, WireGuard support for latency, and how each vendor handles storefront-region drift when a purchase locks to the region you were in at checkout.
What to look for in a gaming VPN
The tunnel is the easy part. Latency, split tunnelling, and honesty about what the VPN does to your account are where these differ.
- WireGuard or a comparable modern protocol as the default, not OpenVPN.
- Split tunnelling so the store client runs through the VPN and the game runs on your normal route.
- A real network of servers in the region you want to reach, not one endpoint on a saturated line.
- No-logs policy backed by an independent audit in the last two years.
- A working kill switch, and per-app rules on macOS and Linux, not just Windows.
- Clear guidance from the vendor on what happens when the storefront ties your purchase to a region.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price/mo | Split tunnel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | No-logs and a usable free tier | Yes (limited) | Monthly or annual plan | Yes |
| Mullvad VPN | Buying anonymously, flat pricing | 3-hour trial | Fixed monthly rate | Yes |
| NordVPN | Server breadth and matchmaking speed | 30-day refund | Monthly or annual plan | Yes |
| Surfshark | Unlimited devices, low sticker price | 30-day refund | Monthly or annual plan | Yes |
| ExpressVPN | Stability and Lightway protocol on Windows | 30-day refund | Monthly or annual plan | Yes |
| IVPN | Minimalist no-logs stance | 7-day trial | Monthly or annual plan | Yes |
| Windscribe | Flexible per-server pricing | Yes (limited) | Monthly or annual plan | Yes |
The apps
1. Proton VPN
Proton VPN ships the strongest combination of a no-logs stance, an independently audited codebase, and a genuinely usable free tier that covers a handful of regions. On the paid plan the network reaches enough countries to shift a Steam or Epic client into most locales the storefront tracks, and its Windows and Linux clients both support split tunnelling and per-app rules. The Swiss legal base and its published warrant canary matter for players who want to keep the VPN quiet about their account.
Where it falls short: free-tier speeds and country choice are capped enough that they only work for storefront region changes, not live play. Some regions rotate IP ranges more often than others, which occasionally means a matchmaking region change mid-session.
Pricing:
- Free: limited server list, one device
- Paid: monthly or annual plan
Download: protonvpn.com
Bottom line: the safest all-round pick for buyers who care about the audit trail and want a real free tier as an escape valve.
2. Mullvad VPN
Mullvad does something the rest of the industry does not: it charges a flat monthly rate, refuses to collect an email, and accepts cash, Monero, or card without an account tied to your identity. The Windows and Linux clients are among the leanest available and land WireGuard connections in under a second. For a player who wants the VPN to leave no paperwork trail, this is the pick.
Where it falls short: the flat pricing means no discounts on longer commits. Country coverage is smaller than NordVPN or Surfshark. Streaming unblocking is not a marketing pitch, which shows up occasionally with storefronts that also ship a video service.
Pricing:
- Free: 3-hour trial
- Paid: fixed monthly rate
Download: mullvad.net
Bottom line: the pick for anyone who wants a VPN that never asks who you are.
3. NordVPN
NordVPN runs one of the largest server networks in the industry, which is exactly what a matchmaking-sensitive game wants when you need low-latency routing into a specific city. Its NordLynx protocol is a WireGuard variant tuned for its stack and generally lands close to your bare-metal ping. Meshnet lets a small group of players share a virtual LAN for peer-to-peer sessions, which matters for older titles that still lean on direct connect.
Where it falls short: the client keeps pushing bundled features (password manager, dark-web scan) that most gamers do not need. Pricing on short commits is high; the value is in the multi-year plans.
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day money-back
- Paid: monthly or annual plan
Download: nordvpn.com
Bottom line: the pick when server breadth and matchmaking latency matter more than a minimal client.
4. Surfshark
Surfshark sits in the value tier, with unlimited simultaneous devices and a low sticker price on long commits. The Windows client handles split tunnelling per app, so the Steam client or Epic launcher can ride the VPN while the running game stays on your normal route. Bypasser rules can even hit specific IP ranges, which is handy when a game connects to matchmaking on a fixed set of edges.
Where it falls short: speeds are competitive, but not the fastest in independent tests. The bundled antivirus is mediocre and can be ignored.
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day money-back
- Paid: monthly or annual plan
Download: surfshark.com
Bottom line: the pick when the household needs one VPN across many devices and price is the constraint.
5. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN built the Lightway protocol in-house, and on Windows it is one of the fastest tunnels to initialise and one of the most stable in long sessions. Its server network is broad enough for storefront region shifts, and the app quietly does one thing very well: it stays connected. For a player who wants set-and-forget rather than tuning, this is the pick.
Where it falls short: the price is at the top of the range. The company’s ownership history is a factor for some buyers even after the recent independent audits.
Pricing:
- Free: 30-day money-back
- Paid: monthly or annual plan
Download: expressvpn.com
Bottom line: the pick when you value stability and low support surface over the lowest price.
6. IVPN
IVPN is the other minimalist no-logs pick. It publishes a lean transparency report, ships tidy Windows, macOS, and Linux clients, and its Pro tier includes multi-hop routing when you want to split trust across two jurisdictions. For a player who wants the Mullvad ethos with a slightly larger city list, this is a reasonable second choice.
Where it falls short: the network is smaller than the big commercial services. The pricing is not the cheapest, which is a tax on the audit-first stance.
Pricing:
- Free: 7-day trial
- Paid: monthly or annual plan
Download: ivpn.net
Bottom line: the pick when Mullvad’s country list is too tight and you still want the anti-tracking posture.
7. Windscribe
Windscribe has one of the more flexible pricing models: alongside the standard plans, its Build A Plan lets you buy just the countries you need at a fixed per-server rate. That is unusual and useful for a player who only needs one region for storefront access. The free tier is generous enough to test with, and the client supports split tunnelling and R.O.B.E.R.T., its own DNS-level ad and tracker blocker.
Where it falls short: the brand voice inside the client is quirky, which is a plus or a minus. Server breadth per country is smaller than the big commercial services.
Pricing:
- Free: limited data, one location
- Paid: monthly or annual plan, or per-server Build A Plan
Download: windscribe.com
Bottom line: the pick when you only need one or two regions and want to pay just for those.
How to pick the right one
- If audit trail and free tier both matter: Proton VPN.
- If you want to sign up without an email: Mullvad VPN.
- If matchmaking latency and server breadth win: NordVPN.
- If price on a family plan is the constraint: Surfshark.
- If you want it to just work and never crash: ExpressVPN.
- If Mullvad is too small a network: IVPN.
- If you only need one region: Windscribe on Build A Plan.
FAQ
Is it legal to use a VPN to buy region-locked games?
Using a VPN is legal in most countries. Buying a game outside the region tied to your billing address or Steam account may violate the storefront’s terms of service, and in a handful of countries also violates local law. Read the storefront terms before checking out.
Will a VPN get your Steam or Epic account banned?
Valve’s public position is that changing your store region to abuse pricing is a terms violation. Occasional VPN use for privacy or connecting from a supported region is generally not enforced, but repeated store region switches can trigger a lockout. Play games through the VPN, not just the storefront, and Valve treats the connection like any other proxied user.
Does a VPN increase your ping in online games?
It can. The trick is picking a server whose route to the game’s matchmaking region is shorter than your ISP’s route. For most players this only helps if the game’s servers sit in a country whose peering into your ISP is poor. In many cases the honest answer is that a VPN adds a small amount of latency.
What is split tunnelling and why does it matter for games?
Split tunnelling lets you route some apps through the VPN and others directly. For region-locked games, the common pattern is to route the storefront (Steam, Epic) through the VPN, then let the game itself connect over your normal ISP link. That keeps store region correct without paying the VPN’s latency tax in matchmaking.
Does a free VPN work for region-locked games?
For a one-off store region change, yes. For live multiplayer, generally no. Free tiers cap speeds and rotate limited IPs, which triggers matchmaking region changes and disconnects during long sessions.
