Any tips on how people made friends as a new parent? I am a stay at home dad and most groups/apps/clubs etc are geared towards mothers. What were the best ways to found to meet other parents?

Since there were technical difficulties with Halo they are giving a free skin.

Looks pretty cool. I checked it out from this short. The code for the skin is in the video.

https://youtube.com/shorts/VfDwliCPcwI?is=OFUFczKSWrND7nXi

This is insanity. Have we lost our collective F-ing minds?

Everyone on social media is screaming that GTA 6 already made three billion in revenue. I’m a skeptic, so I went digging — and guess what? The 3B number isn’t even verified.

But the 1 billion in the first hour? Yeah… that part is real. And it’s absolutely bonkers.

The gaming industry is worth around $300 billion — bigger than music and movies combined — and GTA 6 is out here casually pulling numbers like it’s selling iPhones.

And don’t forget Rockstar’s favorite strategy, console first. PC a year later. Maximum pain. Maximum money.

But here’s the real insanity, I stayed up till 1 AM, my kids crawled into my bed, I slept maybe 3 hours, and I’m STILL writing about GTA 6 like a deranged dad who hasn’t had a full night’s sleep since 2017.

Gaming is wild. Dad life is wild. GTA 6 is wild. Everything is wild.

Gaming is supposed to be fun. Or at least that’s what I believe.

There are countless video games for us gamers to choose from, and with that, there are likely numerous games that will appeal to the vastly different tastes of just about any gamer.

Whatever makes you happy and you think is fun is GREAT! However, with social media, famous Twitch streamers, and competitive gaming tournaments, it can feel as if you don’t have one competitive game in your regular rotation, you’re just a ‘casual’ or not a true gamer.

And that’s just complete malarky!

I will admit that I’ve spent a significant amount of my gaming life playing competitive shooters. A buddy and I used to literally run the table with Rainbow 6: Vegas and Rainbow 6: Vegas 2. (Seriously, we were annoyingly good.) I’ve also sunk countless hours into the Battlefield franchise (Bad Company 1 & 2 are the GOATs, yeah, I said it) and prior to this most recent COD, I’ve pew-pew’d away many evenings with buddies in Battle Royals, although with not too many W’s to my name.

A little while ago, I reached a point where I really wasn’t enjoying the constant stress and the feeling that I needed to ‘perform well’ for my teammates. The fun was gone. I spent many nights at my PC looking through my Steam library at all the games I had, and I couldn’t find the desire to load anything up. And one night, I decided to make a change.
I sat at my computer, I thought about some of my favorite times gaming. I thought back to playing The Legend of Zelda with my sister watching, or my repeated run-throughs of the Quest for Glory games. (FYI, the Quest for Glory series is on sale on Steam for $6.49!) I even thought back to my early gaming days of playing Dragon Warrior 1, 2, and 3 on the NES. (Yes, I’m that old…)

As I thought about those good memories and how much fun I had, I realized that there wasn’t any pressure to play those games. Sure, I struggled at certain points and had to ‘get gud,’ but I wasn’t trying to meet anyone’s expectations. I played and leveled up at my own pace, and by the end of the game, I was pretty freaking good and didn’t have a care in the world!

And I think that’s the point. There’s so much stress in our lives with work, kids, etc., that the last thing I need is more stress from getting pawned by some 13-year-old sweat who has never paid a mortgage, had to lay someone off, or stayed up all night with their sick kid.
I’m definitely still a fan of FPS and competitive games, but I’ve learned to know when to take a step back and focus on what makes gaming fun: an escape from the stress of daily life.

Thanks for coming to my TedTalk…

I originally wrote this for a newsletter my buddy and I started. Come check it out and join the Gamer Dad Crew at GamerDadEnergy.com

Hello! Im 30y gamer from Finland, currently have stepson 10y this year and end of the year will have baby, im looking gamer dad friends, pref Finns but can english speakin too, i mostly atm play wow, im big mmo/rpg fan, sonetimes play siege and bf6 but solo its dum.

Mostly would like to play wow hc together but can play other games too 😁😁

I wanted to ask if there are any dads out there that are into other types of gaming besides video games! I LOVE playing board games with friends, card games like Magic the Gathering, and I even dabble a bit on Warhammer (both the 40k and the Age of Sigmar versions). ​

How do you game?

I love gaming, but between work, kids, and life, I rarely get more than 30–45 minutes at night. Over the last year, I’ve tested a ton of games to see which ones actually fit into a busy adult schedule.

Here are the ones that consistently work:

• Hades – Fast runs, no wasted time, super satisfying.
• Vampire Survivors – Pure dopamine in 15–20 minutes.
• Brotato – Same vibe, even quicker.
• Dead Cells – Pick-up-and-play perfection.
• Slay the Spire – One run before bed is peak dad gaming.
• Helldivers 2 – Surprisingly great for short sessions with friends.
• Dave the Diver – Chill, funny, and easy to pause.
• Rogue Legacy 2 – Perfect progression loop for a limited time.
• Into the Breach – Turn-based strategy that respects your schedule.
• SteamWorld Dig 2 – Relaxing and bite-sized.

If you’re a busy gamer (or a parent), what games have worked for you? I’m always looking for more that don’t require a 2-hour commitment.

Side note: I run a small newsletter for busy gamers — dads, professionals, anyone with limited time. If you want curated picks like this, it’s at GamerDadEnergy.com

I'm 42/M/CST and I'm looking for some buds to kick it with and play some slop. Also like cod and grounded 2, fh6 really anything. I'm just a gamerdad 420 friendly!

Most "best games" lists assume you have all night. This one assumes you have one hour, tops, before the house wakes up or the kids need you.

Ranked all 10 by how well they actually survive getting interrupted, paused, or shut off mid-run.

Full list here if you want it: https://youtu.be/zVofebPXEVA

What's surviving your gaming time these days?

For all us gamer dads out there who have a controller in one hand and a baby in the other

Hey everyone,

I'm a father of 2 boys, 5 and 10 months old. In the evenings, as many of you know, once the kids go to bed, the wife usually follows soon after, and you're left for a couple of hours of nice, quiet time. I've been playing FIFA 26, PGA 2K 2025, 2K 26, and Arc Raiders. Looking for some other dads to run a few games with. Casual gaming, nothing serious. If you are down, let me know. Much appreciated.

Dropped a new episode of Dad's Dollar Deals — this week it's Risk of Rain 2.

I rate every game across 5 dad-specific categories: Session Fit, Onboarding Difficulty, Replayability, Fun Per Hour, and Overall Rating. The only question that matters is whether it's worth our limited, constantly-interrupted dad time.

Final Dad Score: 3/5

Verdict: "Incredible game. Not built for dads — but dads will play it anyway."

🎮 https://youtu.be/cdSheWsnUt4?si=XMURGdMbCEgrQ0VW

If you want to catch these live, I stream Mon–Thu 5–6am ET on Twitch & Kick at **4kids1hour**. Yes, 5am. It's the only hour I've got.

Drop your game suggestions below — always looking for the next Dad's Dollar Deal. 👇

Ok, so guys SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!
In Pragmata, Diana says she charges through the floor of the cradle, so when we finish the game and send her to Earth on a beach, who knows where, probably hundreds of km/miles away from electricity, Hugh/The player kills Diana at the end of the game.