The New Year is here and it’s time to think about your 2016 plans. You should play more games! If you didn’t play enough tabletop games because you had a difficult time getting friends together, there are other ways to play, like checking out your Friendly Local Game Store. Your FLGS runs all kinds of events including play nights, demos, and tournaments to promote games and grow the community. We are going to take a look at a few different ways you can get out there and be a part of your local gaming scene.

Find a Game Night

A good first step is to look for a Game Night. Most active game stores have their schedule of gaming events on their wall or website. These nights are built for people to be able to come play again and again. If you had a great time or missed the first night, be sure to check out when the next one is. Additionally, if you are interested in finding a new game to play, game manufacturers have volunteers who regularly run demos at stores. Game nights are a great way to meet new people and play all sorts of games that you may not already own. Geek and Sundry has organized a couple Game Nights as well in the last couple months, so be sure to stay tuned for our next one and see how you can get involved.

Play in a Tournament

Are you ready to put your army list or deck to the test? Games like Magic: the Gathering, WARMACHINE, X-Wing, and many others have a competitive scene, along with different tournament styles to play in. Tournaments are a different environment than a game night. Often times, they are much more competitive and offer the chance to win prizes and even store credit. It’s a fun time and challenges you to build a list or two, practice, and play to win. Also, most FLGSs run  Friday Night Magic each week where you bring your own deck and play in a tournament. If you haven’t played a tabletop tournament before, its a fun experience to try. Check out when the next tournament is in your area and see what its all about.

Attend a Local Convention

You’ve played some games at your FLGS and now its time to check out a local gaming convention. Many cities have conventions for anime, comics, sci-fi, and gaming which have events to participate in. This is a great way to play with new people who may not attend your FLGS and find out about new games as well. Check out the schedule online and sign up before you show up, or just bring some games to play. Gaming is a great way to hang out and spend time and while at a convention, you’ll get the opportunity play with people from all over the place. Different manufacturers attend conventions too, and while they may not be at your local con, there might be an up-coming game designer there to show off a new game. It’s a great way to find more about your local gaming scene.

What’s your favorite way to get involved in your local game scene? Let us know!