At-home video game tournaments were once one of the most popular game night ideas a group of friends could come up with. When the rise of online multiplayer gaming came about, these gaming tournaments slowly vanished. However, these types of gaming tournaments are regaining their long-lost popularity.
If you’re thinking of hosting your own gaming tournament in your home, you’ll need to know what to do before your guests start showing up. Thankfully, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to host a gaming tournament in your home.
Home Prep
The first thing to consider is your house itself. If your home can’t accommodate enough friends for a game tournament, then you’re not ready. The two most important parts of the house to consider are the room the tournament will take place, typically the living room or a finished basement, and the bathroom.
The tournament room needs to be large enough for everyone to participate and spectate comfortably. So, choose the largest room in the house to host the tournament. Your home should also have the capacity to accommodate everyone’s bathroom needs. If you plan on making this a regular event, you want to call a professional for home remodeling or bathroom remodeling in Minneapolis or wherever you’re located. If your bathroom is in need of repairs or a whole makeover, you want to have the issues addressed before the big event. A bathroom remodel can not only make your tournament a better experience for all participants but also improve your home comfort and value overall.
Dedicated Server Hosting
You’ll need a reliable connection for your gaming tournament if it features online games, and we’re not just talking about your internet provider. A dedicated gaming server provides a reliable, stable, and fast connection for all your favorite online games.
These dedicated servers help prevent dropped games and lag and even provide distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack protection with anti-DDoS software. If you plan to host large, online gaming tournaments at home, dedicated server hosting is necessary.
Video Games and Equipment
Now, you’ll need the most critical aspects of any video game tournament: the games and equipment. This step will require some coordination with the friends you’re having over for the tournament.
Most of us don’t have a handful of personal computers (PCs) lying around the house. So, you’ll need to ensure that some of your guests don’t mind bringing their PCs with them. Of course, you don’t need everyone participating to bring their PC over, but you need enough PCs for each round in the tournament.
An excellent place to start is determining how your tournament will work and what game you’ll play. For example, will it be four versus four, six versus six, or smaller, like two versus two? Whichever route you choose, you’ll need enough PCs for each team. Not to mention, each PC will require the chosen game downloaded on it. So, for example, if you want to host a Call of Duty tournament with four-versus-four rounds, you’ll need a total of eight PCs with Call of Duty installed.
The Reward
Another enticing aspect of any tournament is the reward. What will the winners of your contest receive? Is it a trophy, a small gift, or just bragging rights? You’ll need to decide what your tournament-goers will be competing for and ensure it’s something they’ll enjoy. For example, you could have a trophy made, which doesn’t cost as much as you’d think, or a gift basket for the winning team.
Food and Drinks
Lastly, you’ll need to gather all the supplies you need for the tournament. If you’re hosting your group of friends for a gaming tournament, they’re going to get hungry and thirsty. So, ensure you have enough food and drinks for everyone and set them out appropriately so your friends can help themselves.
Have Fun
Now that you have everything set up and organized, have fun! Get your friends together and enjoy an exciting day gaming, competing, and making memories. Remember, this tournament is so you and your friends can enjoy some time together.