Nowadays, when the topic of video games arises in conversation, I often find myself invoking a key phrase: “I saw my friend playing that during Gamer Night,” or “I need to install it in time for Gamer Night,” or even “I just completed it at Gamer Night last night.” Since 2020, Thursday nights have been dedicated to Gamer Night, and this routine has profoundly impacted my life.
This isn’t merely a testament to the presence of friendships in my life—though I am indeed thankful for them. If you grew up feeling isolated, as I did, you can perhaps appreciate the wonder I feel at having consistent friendships, let alone a longstanding weekly commitment to meet with the same group (virtually). You might think, “I don’t have friends who would be interested,” or “Our schedules are too hectic for that.”
I had similar reservations not too long ago. Prior to establishing Gamer Night as a consistent appointment on my weekly agenda—a commitment flexible enough to accommodate absences since there are four of us, and Gamer Night remains enjoyable even with three or two—the concept seemed superfluous and perhaps logistically challenging. Previously, my gaming sessions were more sporadic. Occasionally, I’d find a compelling multiplayer game and persuade some friends to join me. This often involved inconvenient scheduling manipulations and seldom occurred as frequently as we desired. This was an acceptable way to enjoy gaming, but I couldn’t have imagined the enhanced experience provided by a regular Gamer Night.
The origins of Gamer Night in my life trace back to organizing a group for a multiplayer game in the fall of 2019. It began with two friends and me developing a keen interest in Destiny 2, which offers numerous three-player cooperative activities. Our attempts to coordinate six-person raids in the game proved overly ambitious, but through this process, we established a weekly gaming night with four of us who were most enthusiastic about consistent gatherings via Discord. We humorously named it “Gamer Night,” and the name stuck.
Gamer Night soon evolved into an even more flexible and enjoyable format. While it started as a weekly event concentrated on multiplayer games, it’s no longer confined to that premise. It remains a night dedicated to gaming with friends, but not necessarily all playing the same game. We might be engaged in four separate games individually. Perhaps two of us are collaborating in Overwatch 2 while another friend spectates, and the fourth plays Elden Ring. Sometimes, three of us might offer guidance and conversation while watching the fourth play Dark Souls, or we might all be watching a Twitch stream together and sharing our thoughts. These diverse activities all fall under the umbrella of Gamer Night.
Crucially, Gamer Night occupies just two hours of my week, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (I’ve discovered that playing video games too late disrupts my sleep, necessitating an early end-time for the sake of good sleep hygiene.) My friends sometimes start earlier or finish later, and occasionally, one of us can’t attend, but it almost always occurs because the benefits are significant. While the initial goal was to enjoy games, particularly multiplayer ones, without the hassle of scheduling, it has ultimately fostered deeper bonds among the four of us.
In closing, I highly recommend scheduling a weekly Gamer Night. It’s just two hours, fitting neatly after dinner and ending before bedtime. While it provides an opportunity to enjoy video games, more importantly, it allocates time to strengthen your friendships. You won’t regret it.
