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So You Want to Throw A Party for a Gamer
02/04/2025
Gamers! They're nerdy, fun, goofy, and outright adorable when they geek out about their gaming habits. Whether they are into video games, board games, table top RPGs, or LARPing -- they deserve a party that shines as much as their passion for the alternate realities they call home.
When it comes to throwing parties for your gamer friends and family, the first thing you need to know is this: what are they the most nerdy about?
For example, sure your brother enjoys D&D every Friday, but what about D&D does he love? Is it the stories created, the fighting of monsters, the crafting of epic characters? These are important details to consider when throwing him a party.
We are here to walk you through, step by step, how to plan a party for a gamer that they will LOVE with their entire nerdy heart.
Step 1: Know your Audience
Think about the answers to the following questions pertaining to the person(s) you are throwing a gaming party for.
- What type of gaming are they into?
- What specific games do they love the most? (Notice, not what do they play the most, but what do they LOVE the most? Sometimes gamers don't get to play the game they love most as often as they would like for one reason or another. This is especially true for table top and LARP players, who require groups of people to play and sometimes schedules do not align).
- What about the game is their favorite part?
- Are they a social gamer, or do they usually fly solo?
- How open are they about their gaming habits?
These are all key questions. Knowing their favorite part of playing their games will help you decide things like what party games to plan and what decorations are appropriate. Knowing if they are a social gamer and whether they talk openly about their gaming habits will tell you how large of a party to throw. If they aren't very social, or they don't talk a lot about their gaming, it might be a better idea to keep the party specific to their gaming circle or a small group of close friends. Use your best judgement when deciding the following:
- How large of a group would they want to interact with?
- What kind of decorations would best suit their specific brand of nerdy?
- What types of food and drink would they enjoy and would also fit the theme?
- Are there party games that match the game you are using as inspiration for the party?
- Where should you host the party that they will enjoy and be comfortable?
Make sure to consider all of this carefully as you enter the beginning phases of planning a party for your gamer.
Step 2: Selecting Decor
Now that you know your audience, and have a vision for your party, it's time to select your decorations for you gamer party!
We have an entire section of gamer related decor, found here: https://www.darkidealsdecor.com/products/?collection=gamers-dungeon
However, we can also make custom items for your gamer's party, or you may find other items in our shop that suit the needs of your party.
Regardless, we have some recommendations for the essentials of party decor for a gamer's party. (We also have a blog post found HERE which is all about party essentials for throwing parties, which may further help you make some decisions about party decor.)
No matter the size of your party, we will always recommend the basics -- tassel garlands, balloons, and either a cake topper or cupcake toppers. If you want to add some spice to your decor, try also pairing some rosettes into the mix of things! Plus, some table scatter, better known as confetti, is also a nice touch to personalize the party for your gaming buddy. And don't worry, we offer non-glitter options so you aren't trying to scrub glitter off your floor for the months to come.
We also can do personalized banners, so you can find a nerdy way to say "Happy Birthday" or "Welcome to Married Life" or "Welcome New Baby" or whatever else your party may be for - BUT within a gamer theme.
Step 3: Food!
Food is not our specialty, but we throw parties too, so we have some go-to places to look for themed food ideas!
Of course, Pinterest is your best friend when it comes to finding inspiration for just about anything. We did a D&D inspired wedding in October of 2024 that we lived off of Pinterest when looking for ideas for.. well, just about everything.
Outside of that, https://www.geekychef.com/ is a great place to find nerdy themed food ideas that will spice up your party!
As far as WHAT to serve, we have some suggestions.
Cake, cupcakes, cap pops, or cookies are a go-to for the pièce de résistance at parties. Doesn't matter what kind of party, there is usually one of these bad boys centered at the dessert table that is SUPER decked out and fancy.
Veggie or fruit platters, or both, are a great snack option that can be themed out in a lot of ways, while also being on the healthy side. Other snack go-tos, of course, are chips, crackers & cheese, finger meats (like summer sausages), various candies, and pretzels. If you want to get super fancy, try adding deviled eggs to the mix. We don't know about you, but they are a HIT at our family gatherings; no matter the occasion.
If you are serving a main course, we suggest basing it off of whatever game they enjoy. If it's D&D, something more meat heavy that you can eat with your hands, or some type of stew. If it's Zelda, Veggie Rice Balls (recommended from Geeky Chef) are a pretty on point option. Basically, find out what food exists in the game, or would be in that time period, and base your main course off that idea. OR, you could find out your gamer's favorite food and just make that! Either way, it's a win.
Step 4: Final Details, Guest List, & Invitations
Time to put together your ideas and finalize the details. Date, time, location, etc. This is the time to plan all that and get it finalized on paper. Once you have those details, time to put together your guest list!
And of course, invitations. Whether they are virtual or paper, we have a recommendation on where to go for invites.
Pumpkin Pie Marketing & Events does customized invitations and designs for all sorts of occasions, and they will even get invited printed and shipped for you so you don't have to worry about it. Plus, as a Dark Ideals client, you can get a discount! If you use the code DARKIDEALSCLIENT you will get 25% off your invitation design and free shipping on paper invites!
Check them out here: