How to Host a Video Game Tournament

While it seems that video games are becoming a national pastime, few people seem to make playing them a social event. With a few friends and a free afternoon or weekend, you can host a video game tournament that will provide hours of competitive fun.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Pick you game. If you are a serious video game player, you probably have a system of choice and will prefer to stick to one game. But if you are just looking for a fun way to spend some time with your friends, an 8-bit Nintendo tournament with a whole host of games could be the way to go. There are few guidelines here, so go with what you and your friends like.
2. Choose a format. You can base your tournament on several different formats, such as round-robin or double elimination. Base your decision on the number of people involved and how serious you want to get. Another option is to have a winner/challenger format where one person is the expert, and the goal is to beat her at her game of choice.
3. Set up stations. If you have more than one television and gaming system, having several stations will allow you to keep more people involved at one time and keep the tournament on schedule. You may be able to borrow from friends, and people playing in the tournament might be able to contribute supplies.
4. Create an information center. Whether it is a white board, poster or a traditional chalkboard, have a place where tournament standings can be updated and information is accessible to everyone. As the host, be sure to keep the information as up-to-date as possible, or designate someone else to do it.
5. Provide food and drinks. If your tournament is an all-day or an all-weekend event, you will need to have food on hand to keep your guests happy. Buffalo wings, nachos, burgers, hot dogs, chips and beverages of choice are good things to start with.