Optus releases the new Internet Gamer NBN plan

Update 6/8/21: Optus’ Internet Gamer plans are currently unavailable. However, customers can still sign up for a standard Optus NBN plan, and add Game Path for $10 per month.

For anyone who is big into playing games, especially online, it’s so important to have a good internet connection. Fortunately many NBN providers now make a point of offering gamer-specific plans and tools, to ensure that gamers have the most optimised internet performance around.

Optus is the latest provider to jump on this bandwagon with the release of its new Optus Internet Gamer plan. Building on the 2020 launch of its Game Path tool, this new plan will not only include access to Game Path, but also features a bunch of added extras to help optimise your in-home gaming experience. Let’s take a look at the details of this new NBN plan from Optus.

Optus Internet Gamer plan features

First up are the basics — the Optus Internet Gamer plan includes unlimited data and is available on both the NBN 50 and NBN 100 (100/20) speed tiers, with 50Mbps and 100Mbps typical evening speeds respectively. You’ll pay $79 per month for the NBN 50 plan, while NBN 100 speeds are $99 per month. Optus Sport and OS Fitness are also included on your plan at no extra cost.

In addition to the NBN plan basics, you’ll also get a free three-month trial of Optus Game Path (valued at $30 in total), but you’ll need to pay an extra $10 per month for continued access after the trial period ends. You’ll also get a static IP, and the ASUS DSL-AX5400 Gaming Modem is included on your plan (the modem fees are waived if you stay connected for 36 months).

A speed upgrade to NBN 250 or NBN 1000 is also available (at additional cost and if your home NBN connection is eligible). It’s worth noting though that plans on NBN 100 speeds will only be available to homes with compatible NBN connections, which is typically most FTTP connections and some HFC connections.

While this plan does build on the gaming optimisation tools of Game Path, it’s set to not just benefit PC gamers, but console gamers, and tablet and mobile gaming too. Not only will you get great WiFi coverage, but it will also address congestion issues in the household with multiple devices connected to the internet, by prioritising gaming traffic.

Optus has partnered with ASUS to bundle the DSL-AX5400 gaming modem on this new Gamer plan, which includes some great built-in features to reduce in-home congestion and optimise your home gaming experience.

“We are delighted to be working with a world leading partner in the gaming space with this exclusive device, ASUS to provide an exciting new option for our Optus NBN customers! This is a key milestone of our Living Network strategy and is the latest initiative to provide gamers with a world-class network experience.” said Clive Dickens, VP of TV & Content at Optus.

This new Gamer plan has also replaced Optus’s old ‘Internet Entertainer’ plan which included bundled Fetch TV. This shift to focusing on gaming optimisation isn’t new, as more providers look to focus on gaming and develop plans or tools to improve gaming performance for NBN customers. Customers who are looking for Fetch, will need to add it on to their plan for an additional cost; either from $10 per month for Fetch Mini, or from $15 monthly for Fetch Mighty.

The following table shows a selection of published unlimited Optus plans on Canstar Blue’s database, listed in order of monthly cost, from the lowest to highest. Use our comparison tool to see plans from a range of other providers.

Which other providers offer gaming plans or tools on NBN plans?

Optus isn’t the only provider offering special plans or tools for gamers on NBN plans. Telstra has also shifted focus to include more gamer-centric internet offerings, with its Game Optimiser tool, and also offering Xbox devices on plans. The Telstra Game Optimiser add on (for an additional $10 per month) includes access to a program which allows you to prioritise traffic to gaming devices, see and control home network usage, and allows you to geo filter to connect to servers and players closer to you.

Aussie Broadband doesn’t have specific gamer plans or tools, but instead has its NBN plans optimised for a better gaming performance. This includes offering real-time information on ping times and the daily CVC capacity in your area, more direct transit links to the USA and South East Asia gaming regions, plus bandwidth management for a more holistic approach to gaming optimisation.

My Republic offers a ‘Gamer Pro’ add on to plans for an additional $10 per month, with access to a network optimised for gaming thanks to traffic prioritisation and custom routing, live latency tracking, a static IP address and more.

Overall, if you’re looking for NBN plans for gamers, add-ons or tools with gaming optimisation, it’s worth comparing what is available to help you find the right plan that not only suits your needs and budget, but is compatible with your home internet connection. The following tables include a selection of NBN plans from above mentioned providers or general NBN plans that might suit gamers. Switch between the tabs to see more plans.