Tips for Hosting a Gaming Party

Tips for Hosting a Gaming Party

Are you itching to get the gang together to hang out? You should! Studies show that spending more regular time with friends makes you happier, so don’t be shy about making an occasion of it – and a gaming party is a great way to enjoy each other’s company.

The joy of play is an easy social lubricant to get everyone bonding and having a great time, and there’s a huge range of options to make a memorable night. Here are just a few tips for creating an evening you’ll all enjoy.

Choosing the right games

Establish what sort of games you want to play, taking into account the interests and experience levels of the people you hope to invite. Unless you plan to play one big game as the main event, be sure to have a variety of choices available that will let you keep things fresh throughout the night. You could incorporate a mix of mediums, from board games to video games via classic party games that don’t need a box or a controller. If you’re looking for a vibe that’s as casual as possible, even mobile games like those you might find on a bingo app could be right for your group.

You could pick out a handful of games that play on similar themes. If your friends are fans of TV shows like The Traitors, for example, you could invite them to engage in thrilling deception and bluffing themselves by trying out cult-hit social deduction games like Blood on the Clocktower. Give your friends an idea of your choices before the day itself so that they’ll know what kind of energy to expect.

Setting up the space

Make sure you have enough seating for everyone you invite and arrange your space to suit the kinds of games you’ll be playing. Planning to play console-based games like Jackbox? Place chairs so everyone has a clear view of the TV screen. If you’ll be playing board games, bring them around a table that has enough room on it for everything you’ll need – don’t be afraid to open the box and place pieces around the table to test whether it all fits! Plug in everything that needs to be plugged in – including a sound system if you’d like some music to set the tone – and make sure you’re sat somewhere with bright, clear lighting.

Providing refreshments

It’s important to offer a selection of drinks and easy-to-eat snacks that won’t interfere with gameplay or leave nasty stains on cards or controllers. Ask guests about dietary restrictions in advance so that nobody gets a nasty surprise, and consider having a mix of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks options.

Managing the evening

You don’t need to completely micro-manage everything but it’s good to have an idea of how many games you’ll play and for how long, allowing time in between each one to reset seats and equipment, top up refreshments, and so on.

If you’ll have enough people in attendance that you might split into two games at times, make sure you pick games of equivalent length, and proactively rotate who’s playing with whom so that everyone gets to spend time with each other. If this is the case, try to cap off the night with a big game that you can all play together, perhaps in teams.

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