How To Plan The Ultimate Gamers’ Night In

Playing all-time most popular games with your close circle of friends can lead to memories the entire group will cherish for a lifetime. A night in with the people you love, some refreshing beverages, and exciting games is usually all you need to unwind and forget about the stress of daily life.

Suppose you plan to host the ultimate gamers’ night anytime soon. In that case, you’ll want to ensure you—and everyone joining you—maximize the fun by planning every detail down to a T. Take a look at some things you need to cover to level up your friendships and be crowned the king/queen of gamers nights.

Choose the right games

Arguably, games are the most essential part of a gamers’ night. They dictate how good of a time everyone will have and whether they will leave your home with a smile on their faces. Unfortunately, this can also be the trickiest thing to get right – especially if you are having over a large group of friends.

If it’s just you or one other friend, choosing the right type of game will be easy. You know whether board games are your cup of tea or not; perhaps you enjoy online casino games, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. For example, Discasino is an online casino that’s integrated with Discord and offers fast withdrawals and weekly cashback offers.

Mistakes to avoid

If your game night is set to include more than one or two people, there are some mistakes you’ll want to avoid:

• Inviting too many people: A crowd of 10+ people is unlikely to result in an epic gamers’ night, simply because it’s next to impossible to find 10 people who share the same likes and preferences. Keep your guest list short but sweet.
• Choosing too many games: Giving your fellow gamers a long list of potential games you can play will almost always result in decision paralysis. Instead, pre-select two or three games you think fit the group’s vibe the best and be in charge of picking the first game to start things off.
• Going for a game with a long rulebook: Let’s face it – your friends came to have fun. The last thing anyone wants is to spend 30 minutes listening about complex rules.

Pick a theme

You don’t have to pick a theme if you want to have the ultimate gamers’ night in – but it will certainly help set the mood and make the entire ordeal more memorable. Make no mistake – this doesn’t mean you need to have a costume party (although that decision is solely up to you), but choosing a subtle theme can make the night feel more special.

Choosing a theme will, once again, depend on the crowd that you are gathering. This is where knowing your gamer friends comes in handy, as their personalities will give you an idea of what they might like. Some of the most popular options include:

• Murder mystery theme: Have some Agatha Christie lovers among your friends? Then having a murder mystery night sounds like the right choice. Dim the lights, play eerie music, and choose murder mystery games like Cluedo.
• Trivia night: Nothing screams trivia night like a ‘game show’ vibe that can easily be achieved with some whiteboards and buzzers. Trivia nights are common profit-boosters for bars, bringing in 30% more revenue, meaning your friends are likely to enjoy it, as well.
• Fantasy night: If you and your friends are huge Dungeons & Dragons fans, this is the right moment to host a fantasy night and complete the vibe with some medieval-style snacks and drinks, like bread, cheese, and wine.
• Casino night: Has your group had some epic times in local casinos? Then this one is a no-brainer – get the dice rolling by organizing a poker night that evokes the roaring 20s by serving martinis and playing some jazz.

Have snacks and drinks galore

Your choice of games is the most important aspect of the upcoming gamers’ night – but having no food or drinks on site can definitely put a damper on the mood. Besides, game nights usually last at least three hours, which is a long time to go without something to munch on.

You don’t have to channel your inner Gordon Ramsey either – having some snacks spread around the room will be enough to keep everyone happy and in the mood. Again, it’s up to you to assess the kind of snacks your friends will like. Some groups live for cookies, jelly beans, and pretzels, while others would be more thrilled with an elaborate cheese board.

The choice of drinks and snacks is a bit easier if you have a theme going on, but it doesn’t have to be difficult without it. Ultimately, you can include a few different options, which ensures you cover everyone’s tastes and preferences.

Reminder: alcohol is not mandatory. If someone from your entourage doesn’t drink, you can remove the temptation for them by offering hot apple cider and milkshakes, for example.

Take care of timing

There’s nothing worse than having two or three people show up and then wait an hour for others to arrive. Even if they arrive in high spirits, waiting around can make them feel bored and ready to call it a night real soon. Thus, you should set a start time and mention it to every person invited. You should also expect that some people might be 10 to 20 minutes late due to traffic or other personal problems, which is totally fine – you can have a 30-minute warm-up for some chit-chat and drinks before moving on to the main part of the night.

Moreover, it’s advisable to have at least one break of 15 to 30 minutes between games. That should be enough for people to refresh, refill their drinks, and take a toilet break.

Finally, putting a clear end time is helpful for more than just the host – it helps everyone be in sync and plan the rest of their night. There are two ways you can go about this:

1. Clearly state the end time when inviting people over;
2. Say something like ‘Last game’ when you are ready to end the party.

The bottom line

Game nights are popular worldwide. With their potential to bring in loads of fun and some quality bonding time without spending a bunch of money, these events deserve to be a monthly occurrence. Now you know that it doesn’t take much to plan an epic night in, as it all boils down to how well you know your friends. You shouldn’t feel discouraged even if you don’t get everything right on the first try – you can always learn from your mistakes and try again in a few weeks.