Being a gamer is more than a hobby. At a certain age in life, it is a part of one’s identity and lifestyle. For some people, this is true no matter the age. This is why video game birthday parties are such a good idea – they capture one’s essence, not just flirt with one of their interests.
Still, how does one make a video game party? The truth is that a video game birthday party is quite a broad topic. There are so many games, consoles, and, well, aspects of gaming that choosing one may give you a completely different party than if you went with something else.
In order to help stir you in the right direction, here are a couple of pointers you need to abide by when planning such an event.
Get The Right Gear
There are a lot of venues that specialize in this sort of event. Here, you can find some of the newest consoles and the latest video games that the majority of kids attending might be dying to try out. Other than this, VR headsets are still not common in the majority of households. So, finding a place that has, it might completely change the success of the party planned.
The thing is that you’ll have to do some research on the subject matter unless you’re already familiar with the gaming hardware yourself. One of the ways you can do your research is to talk to your kid. If you don’t want to reveal too much, ask your friends for help. You can also ask a question on a gaming forum. With a list of gear that the venue needs to have in your hands, it will be much easier for you to carry on with your quest.
Most importantly, you don’t really have to go to a gaming venue. Any venue will do as long as you rent the equipment or just take a different direction and focus on gaming decoration and snacks.
Prepare for Backseat Gaming
According to the experts who are familiar with event venues in Minneapolis, the layout of the venue is one of the crucial things. You see, there will never be enough devices for everyone (even if you independently hire a venue and bring devices of your own). This is why it’s so important that you provide an outstanding backseat gaming experience. A clear view of the position where the huge screen will be displayed (or a projector pointed at) is essential.
Finding games for a great backseat gaming experience is not an easy task. Why? Well, because these are mostly story-driven games, and they’re not ideal for a birthday party. Having one person play 5 hours of the single-player game with an immersive story isn’t much of a party. However, a competitive multiplayer with 2-4 players can be made into a tournament setup. You can make brackets, and other players can pick their favorites and cheer for them.
Snacks and Refreshment
Providing great snacks and refreshment is not an easy task either. Pizza is a classic gaming snack, but there are also some alternatives you should consider. Chips and dip, grilled cheese, and candy (made in the shape of a controller, console, or based on a theme from a video game) are always a win. The same goes for the birthday cake. You could also provide some healthy gaming snacks like almonds, pistachios, guacamole, and macadamia. Just ask about the allergies aforehand.
As far as the refreshment goes, you can choose anything from energy drinks to juice and rehydration drinks. It all depends on the age of your birthday guests. If you plan to invite some parents to the party, as well, there are a couple of great cocktails for gamer parties you might want to consider.
Video game party supplies are so easy to come by these days. You can find gaming-themed paper plates, napkins, cups, and cutlery in many different colors. This gives you the creative freedom to choose the decoration pallet at your own behest, seeing as how you will definitely be able to find party supplies to fit.
A Mini Convention
Why not make the birthday in question into a mini-convention. Sure, you may not be able to bring in celebrities or game developers, but you could throw a masquerade and encourage cosplay. You can also format the party like it were a convention.
Get every invitee a pass and make sure to structure the schedule in a way that the real convention would work. Here, you can even have a section of the party where you play trailers for new games and even invite speakers (amongst the invitees) to present them. Everyone (interested) gets a new game to present. The preparation for this presentation should alone be enough to build up the hype.
Needless to say, this might require a bit different decoration, but the creativity of the idea alone will make it all worth it.
The Gift
The birthday gift should be gaming-related as a final touch. Sure, the fact that you’re throwing them a birthday party is already a gift of sorts, but it’s better that you take a more conventional gift, as well.
The gift itself depends on the budget. You can get them a piece of gaming equipment. A peripheral can cost tens of dollars, while a new monitor, console, VR headset, etc., will cost hundreds of dollars.
You can also go for a digital gift like buying them an AAA video game that just came out. These games are usually $60 upon release, which makes them a pretty decent gift. Keep in mind that the majority of game stores have the gifting option. In fact, you might even be able to see their wish list, which makes your job so much easier.
In Conclusion
In the end, keep in mind that whether or not the party is a success depends on your effort, as well as how well you know your kid. Sure, kids love Minecraft but is it really your kid’s favorite game or just something that they’ve just caught a livestream of once or twice? Moreover, while the birthday party is all about them, you need to take their social circle into consideration, as well. Overall, put some thought into it and do your research months before so that you have the time to prepare.
Categories: Tips And Advice Stuff
