One day, every kind of player
National Video Games Day, celebrated on September 12, is a broad, happy tent. It covers the person grinding a competitive shooter, the one slowly building a farm in a cozy sim, and the family passing a controller around the couch. Whatever you play and however seriously you take it, the day is an invitation to press start without apology.
Video games are now one of the largest entertainment mediums in the world, bigger than film and music by revenue, and they span every genre and mood you can imagine. There has never been a better or cheaper time to find something that fits exactly what you are in the mood for.
Play something a little different
If you always reach for the same genre, use today to stray. Try a narrative game if you usually play sports titles, or a relaxing puzzle game if you live in shooters. Digital storefronts run frequent sales, and huge back catalogs mean yesterday’s blockbuster now costs a few dollars.
Local co-op is worth rediscovering. Fewer games ship with couch multiplayer than they used to, but the ones that do turn an ordinary evening into something memorable. A second controller and a party game is one of the cheapest ways to guarantee a good night with friends.
Treat your setup right
Comfort matters more than raw horsepower. A decent headset makes competitive games sharper and immersive games richer, and it keeps the noise off everyone else in the house. A charging dock means you never dig through a drawer for batteries mid-session, and a tidy cable run keeps the whole space from feeling like a nest.
Take the day to do a little maintenance you have been putting off: clear space on your drive, wipe down your controllers, update the software, and reorganize your library. Future you will appreciate booting up to a system that is ready to go.
Remember where it all came from
Part of the fun of this hobby is its short, fast-moving history. The jump from blocky sprites to worlds you can get lost in happened inside a single lifetime, and playing something old is a great way to feel it. A retro handheld or a mini console loaded with classics is a cheap ticket to that era.
Share the day with someone. Show a kid the game you grew up on, or let an older relative try something modern and watch their reaction. Games are best when they are social, whether that means sitting side by side on a couch or hopping into a voice chat with friends who live far away. However you play today, play with someone.
How to celebrate
- 1Play outside your genre
If you always reach for shooters, try a cozy sim or a narrative game today; if you live in sports titles, try a puzzle game. Digital storefronts run constant sales, so branching out costs very little. You may find a new favorite.
- 2Rediscover couch co-op
Plug in a second controller and pull up a party or co-op game for an in-person night. Fewer games ship with local multiplayer than they used to, but the ones that do turn an ordinary evening memorable. It is one of the cheapest guaranteed good nights with friends.
- 3Do overdue maintenance
Clear space on your drive, update your software, wipe down your controllers, and reorganize your library. A charging dock means you never hunt for batteries mid-session. Future you will thank present you for booting into a system that just works.
- 4Revisit a retro classic
Load up a mini console or handheld and play something from an earlier era. The leap from blocky sprites to sprawling worlds happened inside a single lifetime, and old games are the best way to feel it. It is a cheap ticket to a lot of history.
- 5Play with someone
Show a kid the game you grew up on, or hand a modern title to an older relative and watch their reaction. Hop into a voice chat with friends who live far away. Games are best when they are social, side by side or across a connection.