Social distancing and travel restrictions don’t mean you can’t still have a great party. There are so many fun options available for online games and other activities that you can host a party with friends around the world right from your home computer. If you’re thinking about setting up a virtual game night, we have some tips to help the process:

Set a Date

While there’s nothing wrong with an impromptu game night, planning can help organize people across multiple locations. Use a free scheduling tool like When2meet or Doodle to gather information about everybody’s availability. These tools also have automatic adjustments for different time zones to avoid confusion with guests far away. Once you find a suitable date or time, send a calendar reminder with any links people might need to access the game or conference platform.

Test Your Hardware

There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to start a conference with malfunctioning hardware. Make sure that your microphone and speakers or headphones are properly hooked up and working properly. If you’re using a webcam, check the settings ahead of time. It’s also a good idea to test them with the program you plan to use, just in case you need to adjust anything. Most conference platforms have a built-in testing tool you can use to measure things like microphone volume and sound.

Download Updates

Online platforms are updating all the time. Before your virtual game night arrives, make sure you check to see if there are any important updates to download or install. This will help you avoid possible delays and make sure everything is running smoothly. This also goes for your devices and operating systems. If you’ve been putting off a large update, you might as well take care of it before your event to avoid the possibility of getting stuck.

Have Rules On Hand

Even if you already know how to play a game and can explain it, have some written rules easily available. You can bookmark a link to share or simply copy-paste relevant information into whatever chat platform you use. This will give new players a good starting point and help experienced players refresh on details they might have forgotten. If the game you’re playing is very simple, you should still make sure you have any resources readily available to help people.

Be Flexible

As with any planned event, you can’t predict everything. Guests might log in late or not at all. You might end up with more players than you expected. With online platforms and virtual games, there’s always a likelihood of technical difficulties or miscommunications. As long as you prepare to make adjustments as needed you can still make it a fun experience for everyone involved.

Hosting a virtual game night might seem complex, but it’s really no more work than planning for an in-person event. In fact, the added flexibility provided by technology might make it even easier for your guests to attend and enjoy. Use these tips and have fun while staying safe and healthy at home.