LAN parties were social gaming events where players physically connected their computers on a local area network to play together. Before reliable broadband internet, they were the only way to get low-latency multiplayer with friends. The ritual was part of the appeal: lugging a heavy CRT monitor and tower PC to someone's garage or basement, spending an hour troubleshooting network issues, then playing Quake, Counter-Strike, or StarCraft until sunrise. LAN parties ranged from intimate four-person affairs to massive events like DreamHack that hosted thousands. The format mostly died as broadband made online play seamless, but the community spirit it fostered lives on in esports arenas and gaming cafes.