A little reason to celebrate
National Video Game Day
Fun · Hobby · July 8
A day for video games of every kind, from old arcade cabinets to phone puzzles, and for the people who like to play them.
National Video Game Day falls on Thursday, July 8, 2027. That is 254 days away.
Also marked on September 12.
Video games are interactive games played on a screen, using a controller, keyboard, touchscreen or joystick to steer what happens. They run on home consoles, computers, handheld devices, phones and the arcade machines that once filled malls and pizza parlors.
The range is wide. Some games ask for quick reflexes, some for patience, and some mostly ask you to wander around a pretty place and look at things. Puzzle games, racing games, sports games, long story adventures and tiny games that last ninety seconds all count. Plenty of people who say they do not play games have spent a surprising number of evenings matching colored tiles on a phone.
Marking the day usually means playing something, ideally with someone else. Families pull out an old console from a closet and find out whether it still turns on. Friends trade turns on a single controller or team up online. Libraries in many towns lend games and sometimes host open play sessions, which makes trying something new easy.
Older games have a pull of their own. Their simple graphics and short levels can still hold attention, and many have been rereleased for newer systems. Watching a younger player meet an old favorite for the first time is often its own entertainment.
The controller you grew up with probably still lives in somebody's drawer, cord wrapped tight around it.
Ways to celebrate
- Play a favorite old game with a friend or family member.
- Try a game in a genre you have never played.
- Look for game nights or free play sessions at your local library.
- Share a memory of the first video game you remember playing.
- Teach someone the controls of a game you love.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Wednesday, July 8 |
| 2027 | Thursday, July 8 |
| 2028 | Saturday, July 8 |
| 2029 | Sunday, July 8 |
| 2030 | Monday, July 8 |
Also on July 8
Categories: Fun daysHobby days