A new way to get friends and family out of the house and into new realms of competition just opened on Overton Square. Game Nite Lounge, which had its grand opening on July 18, is an immersive experience for groups of gamers.
Keith Edwards, one of the owners of Game Nite Lounge, is no stranger to these types of gaming experiences. He is also an owner of Puzzle Creative, the team behind Game Nite, Memphis Escape Rooms, and the Adventure Museum.
He explained that the perks of Game Nite are the original video games, which participants play in one of ten themed lounges—ranging from sports to Medieval—each of which are equipped with couches, console tables, colorful lights and a television.
“We consider it the perfect combination where game show-meets-party game-meets-video games,” Edwards said.
Edwards said he originated Game Nite because he wanted a social space where people of all ages could relax, hang out, and, of course, play games.
“When you come in here, you’re not going to be stuck in front of Candy Land, or some game that you would just grab off the shelf at Target,” Edwards said. “They’re very interactive, very unique, and very original.”
Interested players assemble a group of friends, up to eight players, and book one of the themed rooms. When they check in, they can select the kind of games they want to play, all of which are entirely original—the design, coding, and content of each game originated with Game Nite.
“There are some that are our takes of classic games, but then there are a lot that are fully original and unique to us,” Edwards noted.
One example is “Pranktionary,” Game Nite’s version of Pictionary. Participants doodle on a screen but can’t see their own image; only the players can, making it harder to guess the picture.
The rooms and games resemble a choose-your-own-adventure for gamers, allowing them to mix and match — say, a trivia game in a roomful of rubber chickens.
Edwards sees Game Nite Lounge as a complement to the growing game scene in Memphis.
“We have tons of people who had been to our Escape Rooms before and were superfans, or followers at this point—it was really fun to have their support on new ventures, for sure,” Edwards said.
Sessions run between 45 minutes and three hours, and can be booked in advance or spur of the moment. For a new summer activity, it’s indoors and digital, so you can take home a victory without even breaking a sweat.