Remember when game nights meant digging out dusty Monopoly boards and searching for spare dice? The rise of smart home tech has completely transformed the experience. Whether you’re hosting friends or just having a cosy evening in, smart devices will make your game night smoother, more immersive, and a lot more fun and connected. From lighting to scoring, here’s how you can easily bring your next game night into the digital age.
Set the scene: Smart lighting and sound
Start the night right by creating the perfect mood. Smart lighting systems like Philips Hue or LIFX will let you set game-specific scenes – bright and energetic for a fun game of charades, for example, or moody and mysterious to set the tone for murder mysteries. Get creative with voice assistants or smartphone apps – schedule or ‘ask’ them to dim lights, change colours, or trigger light effects at key game moments. Meanwhile, smart speakers such as Amazon Echo or Google Nest Audio will automatically queue up themed playlists or ambient soundscapes for a truly cinematic vibe. Think medieval tavern sounds for Dungeons & Dragons or retro beats for a Mario Kart tournament.
Voice assistants for gameplay
Smart speakers aren’t just for playing background music. Why not use them to help run the show? Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are brilliant as impartial timers, scorekeepers, or even trivia hosts. With the right skills or apps, you can use them to guide murder mystery games or offer questions in a pop quiz. It’s hands-free, adds a bit of polish to the evening, and might even preserve a few friendships.
Turn your display into a game board
If you really want to bring your gameplay to life, look into smart displays like the Google Nest Hub or Amazon Echo Show. Use them for visual-based games, family quizzes, or even as digital scoreboards. The best part is that you can stream trivia or party games directly to your TV, making setup quick and seamless. Some displays also let you explore digital versions of your favourite party classics, such as leading slot games that add a glamourous casino-style twist to the evening.
Tech-powered comfort and refreshmentsThere’s nothing worse than guests shivering from cold during a game night, or you having to run back and forth to the kitchen in the middle of an intense game. Thankfully, you can now rely on smart thermostats like Nest or Hive to keep the room temperature just right, while app-controlled gadgets make and even serve snacks. Think automatic coffee machines, voice-activated popcorn makers, or warming trays that you can trigger from your phone as you’re strategising with your team. Remember to set up routines to tidy lights and shut everything down at the end, so you can relax post-game.
The smart future of game nights
Game night is no longer about sitting on the living room floor and looking for the pieces of a game that was last played years ago while you try not to burn the popcorn. With a few smart upgrades, you can turn a casual evening into a high-tech, interactive event that guests will remember for weeks to come.
