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LAN parties were a big part of the gaming boom in the early 2000s. As Wifi became more powerful and affordable, multiplayer gaming moved to the internet, and LAN parties were pushed out of the spotlight.
Despite the fact that LAN parties may appear to be extinct, they are still very much alive. Fasthosts and domain and hosting experts wanted to look at the state of LAN events in 2023.
LAN parties were first introduced in the 1970s. It wasn’t until 2000 that they became the main social event for the gaming community. Teens would often bring their gaming setups over to friends’ homes to play for hours in a bunker-like living room or basement. LAN parties were the original form of multiplayer gaming. Each player would BYOC (Bring our Own Computer) and gather in one physical location to connect their consoles or computers to play offline LAN compatible games.
Most game servers do not support LAN connections anymore. Even so, smaller “friendly” informal events are held around the world along with larger tournaments. Interestingly, they’ve seen a change by merging partially with the competitive world eSports. Many tournaments have recognised the importance of maintaining their novelty and have included social gaming and BYOC zones where participants can enjoy casual playing sessions.
They are loved by gamers around the world for their rich history and nostalgia. They bridge the gap between gaming in the past and the present. There are many events that encourage LAN gaming and casual gaming. Here are some of the biggest events that are reviving classic gaming.
Insomnia The Gaming Festival (UK).
Insomnia, the largest gaming festival in Britain, is held every year. It hosts eSport events, meet-and-greets, cosplay and other gaming related events every year. Insomnia will be hosting its i7i party on 10/09, where you can participate in friendly battles or tournaments.
QuakeCon, USA
QuakeCon, an annual video gaming convention in Texas, is held every year. The convention is primarily centered around id Software’s games, particularly the Quake Series. This will be the first event to take place in person since 2019. It is also said that the convention this year will put more emphasis on the BYOC aspect of the event.
LanTrek Finland
LanTrek, an annual gaming festival that began in 2001, is a popular event. It is aimed at young people who are interested in gaming, computers, consoles and board games. There will be competitive tournaments and exhibition areas.
The Gathering (Norway).
Hamar’s Viking Ship hosts the gathering every year in April. Norway’s largest computing event celebrates Easter with games and eSport competitions, lectures, concerts, and more. The event is run by non-profit and volunteer organisations.
Dreamhack (Worldwide).
Dreamhack is the world’s largest LAN party. The first Dreamhack was held in Sweden, but it soon spread to other countries, such as the US, France and Spain. Each event combines eSports with LAN gaming and concerts as well as meet and greets.
Gamers Assembly (France).
Gamers Assembly, unlike other events on this list is a LAN-only event. FutuoLAN, the association that organizes the event, attracts thousands of gamers each year who want to participate in tournaments ranging from popular eSports titles to niche selections.
Assembly (Finland).
It is the largest gaming convention in Finland and attracts 30,000 people on average per event. Assembly’s summer 23 edition is centered around gaming, digital culture and eSports. Assembly has announced the largest LAN area ever.
PAX (USA and Australia)
PAX is held in many locations across the US and Australia. The event is primarily focused on gaming, but it also offers BYOC/community play options, as well as other fun features like talks, demos of games, concerts and tournaments.
