Tune Up Your Kids’ Gaming Area for 2021

Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, video games have been one of the few industries that not only hasn’t been negatively affected but has actually thrived. Being stuck indoors all of the time has had a positive impact on video game sales this year and it isn’t slowing down.

2020 has seen a number of large video game releases including The Last of Us Part II, Marvel’s Avengers and more recently a controversial release of the long-awaited Cyberpunk 2077. Not only have AAA games been released, but this year has also seen the release of two next-generation consoles, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

The release of these machines has caused some controversy, mostly over the botched launches that had nowhere enough stock to cope with demand. However, for those lucky enough to be able to get their hands on a new console they might want to spruce up their teen’s or indeed a nerdy mum’s gaming area to add a little extra fun while enjoying the new machines.

Lighting

It might not be the first thing that springs to mind when designing a video games area, not least because teens pretty much live in the dark, but lighting can be an important part of a gaming setup.

Since gamers appear to have an aversion to natural light, adding some LED bias lighting to their surroundings not only looks amazing when done properly but can help with eye strain and trick the brain into thinking that the image on screen looks better.

Most LED strips are relatively cheap and can change colour and intensity as required.

Decoration

You might be forgiven for thinking that they won’t notice but Contrary to popular belief, gamers often need to feel comfortable with their surroundings. A lot, but not all gamers are a little nerdy and will very much like to be surrounded by anything that reminds them of their favourite hobby or game.

Many video game publishers have deals with manufacturers to develop such things as plushies, action figures and novelty lamps of their biggest selling titles. Johnny Silverhand (Cyberpunk 2077) figurines, Pikachu (Pokémon) Funko Pops and Toad (Super Mario) lamps are to name a few.

As good as well-placed ornaments and lamps might look on shelves and bookcases, no gaming room would be complete without posters, wall art prints and decals, of which there is no shortage. These can add the extra cool factor to a gaming area and many online retailers offer these at relatively cheap prices.

Gaming Chair

When it comes to gaming, one thing that used to be overlooked quite often was the importance of a comfortable and sturdy gaming chair. Not only does a gaming chair look great in any room, but they are also necessary when it comes to the physical health of a gamer.

Just like any office worker who needs to sit at a desk all day, gamers require adjustable and ergonomic chairs in order to prevent repetitive strain injury, back issues and eye strain from not being level with the screen.

Gaming chairs come in a few different styles but the most common are the adjustable height “Racer” chairs or on the floor “Rockers”. 

Racers are best for gaming setups at a desk for PC gaming where the screen is typically quite high up, whereas Rockers are best for lower console gaming configurations where the TV might be closer to the ground, but there is no set in stone way to do this; each gamer has his or her preferred way to play.

Desk

Finding the right desk for a gaming setup can be tricky as there are many factors to consider such as the style and whether it will match the décor. But the size, shape, height and whether there is enough room for what you need to place on it should be considered.

Many gamers will use more than one system and it’s not uncommon to find a gaming setup with a PlayStation, Xbox and PC connected to the same or multiple display devices in the one gaming area.

A lot of people opt for a PC desk and place everything on that, but PC desks can be expensive, are typically non-adjustable and don’t provide space for much more than a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

There are gaming desks available that are designed to accommodate multiple consoles, enough room for a large TV or monitor and cable friendly systems to keep clutter to a minimum.

Then there are the high-end gamer’s dream desks such as the EdgeRig that provide maximum comfort, fully adjustable components and specialized systems for integrating steering wheels, flight yokes and sound systems. 

Storage

If you have ever seen any gamer’s domain then you might be aware that most of them are unorganized clutter holes. Unattached wires adorn random protrusions, game boxes are flung everywhere and empty energy drink containers litter the room.

Fortunately, because of this, storage is one area where gaming furniture excels. There are all types of storage solutions for a gaming room such as controller docks, headphones stands and game box shelves.

To add to the fun, game manufacturers such as Nintendo have also licensed storage boxes like the official Pokemon Nintendo Switch video game-card holder which would look amazing when tied in with any ornamental items.

Headphones stands come in all shapes and sizes and some even feature charging docks for wireless versions, as do controller docks since all controllers for modern consoles are now wireless. These work by plugging the stand or dock into an outlet and then sitting them onto the charging ports located on the charging docks themselves.

For the gamer who prefers a little more immersion, there are also VR docks available so you don’t need to worry about breaking your expensive virtual reality systems. 

Machines such as PSVR have many wires and they need to be plugged into an extra box so when the PSVR system is out, things can look quite messy. Docks are designed to safely and securely store these expensive headsets.