I very much miss LAN parties. Analogous to meets in car culture, they where a fun place to show off your rig and see others. You diffused knowledge about hardwa

I very much miss LAN parties. Analogous to meets in car culture, they where a fun place to show off your rig and see others. You diffused knowledge about hardware, software, and strategies, but not just about games. You had an opportunity to get support on tricky problems or help others. You got to lose yourself in your obsession with other people at or above your level, in a way you couldn’t in other social interactions. It could even lead to career opportunities. It’s no surprise that the two scenes I was heavily into (punk rock/hardcore/metal and LAN clubs) shared a DIY aesthetic. The cherry on top was actually gaming and competition. Very little beats the satisfaction of dominating and actually seeing several people across the room react. I still love building PCs. But today, when I finish a build, I feel a little sad I won’t be showing it off at the monthly LAN party. I’ve tried to reengage but between problems mentioned in the article and all the complications of adulthood, I’ve failed to recapture the experience.