In today’s digital age, hosting a virtual games night is a fantastic way to connect with friends or family, regardless of where you are in the world. Whether it’s a casual catch-up, weekly get-together or special occasion, here’s a step-by-step guide to ensure your virtual games night is a hit!
Selecting a platform
As we all found out during the pandemic, the right choice of platform is crucial. Zoom, Skype, Google Meet and Discord are popular for their ease of use and reliability, but there might be other options you want to consider.
Ensure that all participants are comfortable with the chosen platform and test it beforehand to avoid technical hiccups. It might be worth having a backup plan if your primary choice fails.
Choosing the right games
The games you choose should depend on the group you’re playing with. Different interests and levels of tech-savviness make some options more feasible and engaging than others.
There are online board games, which offer a simple, interactive experience for all ages and abilities, or multiplayer video games for those with more aligned interests and skills. Alternatively, you can incorporate mobile games or online casino games such as roulette for a different kind of experience.
Invitations and pre-game setup
Getting games night in the diary can be difficult to achieve with a larger group. To ensure everyone knows where to be and when, send out invites detailing the date, time, platform link and a brief synopsis of the evening’s entertainment. This could be sent out on WhatsApp, email or another appropriate platform.
Game night etiquette and rules
Establishing rules and expectations in advance is always a good idea to maximise the virtual time you spend together. This can be things like muting when not speaking in large groups or not talking over each other and keeping the games friendly and inclusive throughout.
Before the night, you can also plan out the schedule if you want to give people an idea of when breaks will take place, especially for longer game sessions. Whatever else people need to know, give them a heads-up before the fun starts!
Snack and drinks
Even if you’re playing virtual games, you can still make it feel like a party. People could prepare some snacks and drinks, perhaps following a unified theme to make it feel like you’re all together in the same room. This is a nice way to encourage a sense of closeness and camaraderie, despite the distance.
Remember, it’s an opportunity to have fun and socialise with friends and family you may not see often. So, sit back and enjoy a games night that will create fond memories for the future. Let the games begin!
