There’s something so magical about gaming with your friends. It gives you the headspace to escape from reality for a short while with people you enjoy playing games with. And, if you love gaming, then you’ll know all too well how incredible a whole night dedicated to gaming can be. Sure, thanks to today’s technology you can have a gaming night completely virtually, but it doesn’t measure up to the feeling of having your friends next to you and enjoying your favourite games together.
If you’re planning on hosting a gaming night in the near future, you understandably want to make it a night to remember. There are lots of extra touches that you can consider to make it a memorable night that you and your friends will want to do again and again, with that in mind, let’s explore a few ways you can make your gaming night really special.
Pick the Perfect Date
A gaming night can sometimes be spontaneous, and all it takes is a simple call or text to get everyone over. But, there might be complications like work schedules or certain people having to travel further to attend your gaming sesh. If that’s the case, take the time to find out when everyone can attend so that nobody ends up being left out because they’ve got to get up early the next day. There are loads of free online polls that you can create to make sure the time and date works for everyone.
Then it’s time to think about invitations. If you and your friends share a particular game that you enjoy together, why not get creative and make some virtual invitations in the theme of that game? Be sure to include all of the details such as your address, the time(s) and the date of the evening so that people can mark it on their calendars. It’s also a good idea to ask people to RSVP so that you can make sure the rest of your planning process goes as smoothly as possible.
Choose the Game Selection
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with meeting with your friends and sticking to just one game, but it might be a good idea to have a range of other options to play too. Consider setting up all of the consoles you own in the room you’re hosting in so that if you do decide to switch things up a bit, the option is already there without the need for any faff. And, the game selection doesn’t have to stick with video games either; if you have board games, get them set up ready for a change if people fancy it.
It doesn’t even matter if any of you have never played a certain game before; there’s always a way around it. Firstly, the experienced players could help “boost” the newbies through levels to get them up to speed. Alternatively, for some games, you can buy the completed account so they can start playing at everyone’s level straight away. For example, you can buy World of Warcraft or Call of duty mw3 accounts that have high level characters with certain items and achievements.
Another thing to consider is who is attending your gaming night. For example, if all of you were born in the 80’s or 90’s, then consider digging out older consoles like the GameCube or the SNES for some nostalgic gaming. Either way, having plenty of options available for people will ensure that nobody ends up twiddling their thumbs out of boredom.
Make Sure Your Space Is Ready
Next it’s time to think about the area you’re going to be using for your gaming night. This is where having people RSVP will come in handy. You’ll need to make sure that the space is big enough so that people have enough comfortable seating, and so that if someone decides to bring along a console or tower for their gaming, you’ve got space to accommodate it. You could consider using the lounge as a room to host your evening since there’s already comfortable seating and it’s naturally a comfortable room to be in.
You might need to rearrange the furniture a little bit and bring in some tables so that people can set up their space properly, and you might even want to consider bringing in a table with chairs if you decide to play some board games. Or, you could dedicate board games to the dining room if you don’t want to move too much furniture. Either way, as long as everyone has a place to sit and game, you’ll be onto a winner. Having the space ready for wherever your gaming night takes you will help you seamlessly switch between games without losing any of the excitement.
Create Some Ambience
This is an optional idea, but it will absolutely make a difference to your gaming evening. Once your furniture is set up and you’ve got everything ready, consider how you can create some ambience in the room(s) you’re hosting in. The kind of lighting you choose can and will make a difference. You might consider warm and softer lighting to make your guests feel relaxed and at ease, but that might also make people sleepy. So, take the time to think about how the lighting you use will affect your gaming night. You should also consider background music to play to keep the evening flowing. You could ask people to create playlists and share them with you on Spotify so that everyone gets music that they enjoy.
If you’re following a theme for the evening, for example Super Mario, you could even consider decorating accordingly too. For example, you could have any memorabilia you have on display and serve Mario and Luigi themed cocktails/mocktails for people to enjoy. It’s not necessary, but it’s a great way to add memorable touches that won’t go unmissed.
Food and Drinks
Speaking of cocktails, you should also take the time to think about food and drinks during the evening. You may want to encourage your guests to bring their favourite snacks and drinks to enjoy. Or, you might want to get creative and serve something to them. One thing to keep in mind is what you’re going to serve them. For example, while everyone might enjoy a curry, it’s not a very gaming friendly kind of meal. Instead, consider foods that can be eaten while gaming, like tortilla chips, sandwiches, crackers and candy. Alternatively, if the game you’re playing has food in the game, you could consider whipping up your own version of the recipes as another fun touch to your night.
You could also put out a selection of drinks so that everyone has something they can enjoy. Whether it’s soft drinks, water, cordials, tea, coffee, or even alcohol, having a large selection will also allow people to switch during the evening. It might also be an idea to serve them in water-tight beakers so that your consoles and other games are protected against accidental spills!
Hosting Tips
If you’re new to hosting, this might be an area that’s making you feel a little anxious. You don’t want to be overbearing, yet you don’t want your guests to feel uncomfortable or like they can’t ask for something they need. Firstly, you should take the time to personally welcome all of your guests and take some time to get the conversation flowing. Now would be a good time to introduce any guests that might not have met so they can become more familiar with each other. You’ll notice how relaxed everyone feels as people are getting comfortable in their stations.
If you do have people that haven’t met until now, then consider starting your evening with a game that’s not too intense but gets everyone engaged. It’ll give people that may also be a bit nervous the chance to warm up to everyone. And, while you’ve put effort into giving people lots of options, remember that it’s perfectly okay if people want to jump into their regular game.
You could also consider adding a touch of friendly competition to your gaming night. Whether you keep score using a chalkboard or an in game scoreboard is completely up to you! Just remember to keep things light and friendly.
Wrap Things Up
Finally, you know how easy it is to become immersed in a game, but it’s also important to make sure you wrap your evening up in the best way possible. If people are staying over, make sure they know where their room is and anything else they might need. For those that are leaving, take the time to thank them for coming and express how much fun you’ve had. Experiences like this might not come about very often, and it’s important to let people know how much you’ve enjoyed their company.
Gaming night doesn’t have to be serious, but by putting a little extra effort into your hosting you can add so many extra layers of fun for everyone!
