[TacticalCoder]

LAN parties were way more social than "I play with my team (whom I ve never met IRL) over the Internet".

We were playing Warcraft 2 over a LAN between my house and the neighbors home and then we d run to the other house to discuss the game over a drink.

Or playing Warcraft 2 on laptops using some power inverter hooked to the car s battery in a truck, at night before going to sleep, on a surfing trip.

If anything gaming today is way less social, with most people playing online with people they ve never met.

A LAN meant we were physically close.

[xandrius]

Exactly, I think that's the main difference. Before you had to be together, now people need the foresight to value in-person activities as well as wanting to play together. That's a combination which makes many not make the cut.