Back in the day, game nights required everyone to be in the same physical location. The games of choice were Yahtzee, Catan, and Risk. Someone had to host the game night, typically in the garage, and have a good selection of games, snacks, and drinks.
Nowadays, having a physical location is not a must-have. All it takes is a somewhat stable internet connection, a Discord account, and either video games or browser games.
Let’s take browser-based poker games as the perfect example. A few decades ago, we had to be in the same room to play poker with our buddies. Now we can just hop onto Discord and play free online poker for hours on end, from the comfort of our gaming chair.
Traditional Game Nights
Settlers of Catan, Monopoly, Poker, and Dungeons & Dragons were (and still remain) the cornerstone of traditional game nights.
Tabletop Games
The aforementioned tabletop games were quick and easy to set up, required basic sets that were always pretty cheap, and required a couple of hours of free time.
Even though each of these games had manuals that thoroughly explained the rules, many groups had their own “house rules” with simple twists on the conventional gameplay.
The biggest issue with tabletop games was the scheduling. It’s easy when you’re in high school… but when you’re 30 and all of your buddies are either married or already have kids, it’s difficult to get 4 or 5 of you together on a Friday night.
D&D
Technically, Dungeons & Dragons is a tabletop game, but considering it’s a cult classic, it deserves a dedicated section.
In short, D&D completely revamped game nights. It turned them from conventional tabletop games to narrative storytelling with hundreds of different scenarios and campaigns.
Yes, D&D requires a lot more equipment and has a much steeper learning curve than, let’s say, poker or Risk. But it’s much more immersive, providing each player with unique abilities, lore, and character development options.
Transitional Period
The transitional period of game nights is characterized by the first home PCs and gaming consoles.
Couch Multiplayer Gaming
With the first gaming consoles like the OG Xbox and PlayStation 1, our game nights switched from D&D and Monopoly to Tekken, Street Fighter and FIFA couch multiplayer.
We were still in the same room, but we played games on the same computer/console, either with or against each other. The technology replaced decks of cards, tabletop maps, and dice.
Instead, we started using joysticks and gamepads to battle against our friends in what were our first social video gaming experiences.
LAN Parties
Shortly after that, when the internet became widely accessible, we held our first LAN parties. It required a lot more space since everyone had to bring their own PC. Doom, StarCraft, Age of Empires, Counter-Strike and Quake were the biggest games back in the day.
We were still in the same physical place, using LAN (local area network) to play with each other. In short, LAN parties set the foundations for today’s modern game nights.
Modern Game Nights
And finally, modern game nights. They’re characterized by digital-only gameplay powered by online lobbies and voice chat.
Voice Chat
In the early days, we had TeamSpeak, Skype, and Mumble. Nowadays, almost everyone and their grandmother uses Discord. It’s simple to set up, takes little to no resources, and offers high-quality voice chat for the masses.
This allows gamers to communicate with their friends without being in the same physical location. Voice chat is what makes modern game nights possible. In other words, it’s what provides the charm.
Online Lobbies
While voice chat provides the charm, online lobbies provide the infrastructure. Global or regional matchmaking removes geographic limits, allowing gamers to easily connect and play with their friends.
The variety of games is through the roof. Nowadays, you can play everything from simple arcade games on Discord to football and soccer simulations, and everything in between.
While digital games have removed a big part of the game night’s rituals (setting up the board, shuffling the cards, assigning roles, buying snacks), they deliver a clean experience for everyone with clear-cut rules and no accidental mistakes.
Summary
While old-school gamers still host traditional game nights with D&D, Settlers of Catan, and the like, most people prefer the convenience of digital gaming. They’re much easier to organize, especially if your group is thousands of miles apart.
The game library is absolutely massive, and digital systems have clear-cut rules without room for any mistakes. Yes, there will always be cheaters, but if you’re playing in private lobbies, I doubt your friends would risk a lifetime of teasing for using cheats.
The post How Game Nights Evolved From Kitchen Tables to Online Lobbies appeared first on Old School Gamer Magazine.