How to throw a LAN party in 2026
PC Gamer’s FOV 90 column explores the resurgence of LAN parties through a personal lens. Staff writer Morgan Park organized a local area network gaming event to celebrate turning 30, reconnecting with a dormant gaming tradition. The article reflects on Park’s limited experience with LAN parties, drawing on a childhood memory of playing Halo: Combat Evolved on system-linked Xboxes with eight Xbox consoles at a family gathering. While LAN parties were once a staple of gaming culture in the 1990s and early 2000s, they have largely faded as online multiplayer gaming became the standard. The piece examines what it takes to organize such an event in 2026, when gamers must coordinate to transport high-end PCs to a central location—a logistical effort that contrasts sharply with the convenience of online play available today.