Are you feeling social but you don’t want to give up your game time for friend time? Sure, you can play with all of your friends online, but sometimes you just want to spend some real-life time with your pals playing games together.
Anyway, we don’t all have online subscriptions or the same games to play!
This is when you know it’s time to throw some sort of gaming party.
Gaming parties used to be more popular. Otherwise known as LAN parties, people would gather together to play online multiplayer games using one local area network connection.
Now, gaming with others seems to be relegated to highschoolers and gaming bars, but why? There’s no age limit on hanging out and playing videogames.
Not sure how to get started? We want to help. If you’re not the party type we have you covered. Keep reading for 7 tips on hosting video game parties with friends.
- Have a Variety of Games and Consoles
If you want to have a home gaming party you’re going to need to make sure that everyone is happy with the available games. Think about your party as a pop-up arcade.
People who use gaming laptops should be encouraged to bring them along. This will free up some space for others who prefer console games. If you don’t have all of the consoles you want, ask around to see if someone is willing to bring theirs along.
It’s also helpful to have older consoles and newer consoles alongside each other. Why not have a few people playing their favorite Nintendo 64 games while others are on the Playstation 4?
Some people love fun party games like Mario Party while others are happier playing first-person shooters. Others might be interested in playing an MMORPG on their laptops. Tailor your game supply to your crowd!
- Have Console-Safe Food and Drinks
Every party needs food and drinks, but for a videogame party, you want to be careful with your choices.
This isn’t a time to have anything that could mess up any of your gaming systems. If you can, try to opt for drink containers with lids. There are also “no-spill” cups that can be great here. They’re usually for children but when your consoles are at stake, they’re perfect for adults as well.
This is doubly true if you intend on having alcohol at your party.
For snacks, try to avoid things that can leave marks on your controllers. Leave the Cheetos, messy dips, and crumbly bread out of the game.
- Make Room for Gaming
If you all want to stay in one designated area you’re going to have to make enough space. This will vary depending on the types of games that you’re using.
If you’re only using consoles you can all stay pretty tight in one area. If you’re going to be playing any VR games or something that requires movement (like Dance Dance Revolution) you’re going to need more space.
We suggest using several rooms if possible and pushing any unnecessary furniture to the side so you can focus on seating.
- Have a “Quiet Area”
Having an area where there aren’t games going on everywhere is great. This can be the room where the snacks are for double-duty efficiency.
These areas are great for people who want to take a few minutes to hang out but don’t want to distract themselves with videogames while they chat. It’s also a good place to take a break and rest your eyes or wrists so you can get back into the game.
If you’re in a small space this isn’t a necessary area, but it can help you keep your messier snacks in one place and give people a good place to rotate out of games.
- Improve Your Home Gaming Setup
You might have the best home gaming setup for yourself, but how does it look when you’re considering adding more consoles and games?
We suggest asking friends to bring a screen or two with them unless you happen to have enough televisions to match your number of consoles. Most people would be happy to contribute to the party in some way. Be sure to be careful with other people’s things when you’re moving them around!
This is also a good time to bring out any extra equipment. Whether you need a dance pad, extra controllers, a steering wheel for Xbox One racing games, or anything else game-specific, make sure that you’ve got it on hand.
This is the time to make sure you have enough seating for everyone as well. If you don’t have enough couch space, incorporate dining chairs, bar stools, bed space, and even cushions on the floor.
- Encourage Sharing
Let’s be real. We all know how hard it can be to stop playing once you’re “in the game”. You don’t want anyone to feel left out, though, and everyone should have time to play the games they’re into.
If you find that someone is hogging a game, be tactful and suggest that they move somewhere else after a set amount of time.
Small gaming parties shouldn’t have this problem, but if you notice it, speak up. They might not even realize that they’re doing it!
- Take It Easy
Videogame parties are supposed to be fun. Don’t stress out over the details.
It’s okay to ask for help. If your friends think that a gaming party is a fun idea they might be willing to help you plan. After all, they’re going to be there too!
At the end of the day, you’re playing videogames with a group of friends. What is there to worry about?
Keep It Social With Gaming Parties
Make yourself the new expert at hosting gaming parties for your friends. Once you have that scary first one out of the way you’ll be ready to host more to your heart’s content. Your friends will love the chance to hang out while playing their favorite games and you’ll get the satisfaction of a job well done.
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