How to Get Your Parents to Play Video Games With You

Sharing gaming with parents is rewarding. Success hinges on accessibility, relevance, and low pressure.

1. Pick the Right Game (Low Barrier to Entry)

• Cooperative > Competitive: Overcooked! All You Can Eat, Unravel Two, KeyWe, It Takes Two (best co-op ever), Moving Out.
• Simple Controls: One stick + 1-2 buttons. Avoid complex combos, camera control, or fast reflexes.
• Familiar Themes: Digital board games (Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Catan), puzzle games (Snipperclips, Portal 2 co-op), life sims (Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Stardew Valley).
• Narrative/Walking Sims: Firewatch, What Remains of Edith Finch, The First Tree (no fail state, just story).

2. Frame the Benefits

• "It's like a board game we can play long-distance."
• "Studies show 3D platformers/puzzles help spatial memory and problem-solving."
• "It's dedicated 'us' time without phones."

3. Make It Effortless

• You drive first: Handle menus, settings, camera. Let them make high-level choices ("Go left or right?").
• Short sessions: 20-30 mins. Stop before frustration.
• Comfort: Couch co-op (split screen) or separate consoles (Remote Play / Share Play / online). Ensure text size is readable (Accessibility settings).

4. Turn It Into an Event

• "Game Night Sunday 7 PM. Snacks provided."
• Stream to TV via Steam Link, Chromecast, or HDMI so it's social, not hunched over a monitor.

5. Respect the "No"

If they try it and dislike it, drop it. Forcing breeds resentment. The goal is connection, not conversion.

Pro Tip: It Takes Two (Friend's Pass lets them play free on another platform) is the single highest success rate game for this scenario.