I have operated exit nodes and mail infrastructure across six countries. To be precise, the routing behavior I observe contradicts the conventional wisdom repeated in every "which DC?" thread.
Consider deliverability. My OVHcloud IP in Limburg with a clean ASN history achieves better inbox placement than my KnownHost IP in Amsterdam with prior bulletproof hosting associations. The geolocation is superior in the second case. The delivery is not.
As far as I know, major email providers weight IP reputation and ASN classification above geolocation after the initial SPF/DKIM evaluation. A Contabo IP in Bucharest with proper RDNS and no prior abuse outperforms a "premium" location with recycled bulletproof space. Check the ASN history on https://bgp.he.net if you don't believe me.
For gaming: my Counter-Strike server on a HostHatch Czech IP fills faster than the identical configuration on a RackNerd French IP. The difference? The French ASN appeared in DDoS amplification reports two years prior. Players do not ping-trace. Anti-cheat and matchmaking systems do.
I anticipate disagreement. The location narrative is deeply comfortable. But I ask: when did you last A/B test this, rather than assume?