Remember summer as a child? Riding bikes, late nights at the arcade, the concession stand at the pool? All good times. Then somewhere along the way we all grew up. We couldn’t be Toys R Us kids forever. It sucks, I know.

As we move through summer, I want to share a few dating tips that might help you out as you talk with someone new because that’s why you’re here, right?

Don’t feel obligated to do something outside. Meeting out for dinner and want to take advantage of the summer? Do so if it’s comfortable. But if you’re sweating through your jorts (yeah I own a few pairs) just sitting there and talking, you’ll be miserable for awhile after. Don’t do that to yourself. Don’t be a patio hero. Just sit inside and enjoy the view.

Take advantage of the daylight though. If you can be outside when it makes sense, make the most of it. Live in a bigger city? Explore a new cafe or barcade or people watching area. Live in the suburbs? Find a nature trail to walk with a nice bench where you can both pop out your Game Boy Colors and nerd out for an hour or so.

Use sunscreen. I know I sound like a dad when I say this, but sunburn sucks on a whole ‘nother level. If you’re outside in the sun and you’ll be out for awhile, put on some sunscreen for the love of everything Right and Holy in this world. Don’t pay the physical price of pain and irritation because you are “too cool” to put on sunscreen. You know what’s sexy? Living to see another day without patchy red skin that makes you unbearably not yourself.

Have the best summer you can, and take advantage of the season. Fall will come soon enough.

And if you really want to get to crackin’, login and check out your matches. Someone may be waiting for you to reach out!

The post 3 Online Dating Tips For The Summer appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

This perspective is for you though – not for us. We want you to see all the fun things that we have planned for 2020.

Monthly new feature launch. In past years we’ve typically launched between about 20-25 new initiatives, with about 3-5 ending in actual feature launches. In 2020, we’ve redesigned our workflow to make sure that we’re closer to a 1:1 ratio. Along with that – the goal of 1 new feature per month. January’s feature launch is improved profile verification.

Increased commitment to continuous app improvement. We’ve been here since we relaunched our apps last summer. Right now we’re working on improving filter efficacy. At LFGdating.com, we champion the long game. Staying power. It’s what separates us from the rest.

Work weekend live blogging returns. We don’t know when yet, but 2019 was devoid of our favorite time of the year: the all weekend live blogging, beer drinking, barcade reviewing, beer drinking (again), game playing work weekend. I shouldn’t call it a work weekend because that sounds dry, but it’s technically work, right?

Site redesign. Later this year we’re giving ourselves a facelift. Not because we’re not beautiful af, but more because we believe we can look and function even better.

We love The Witcher. I don’t have much more to say, really. Two viewings in and a third on the horizon. Such a happy surprise! Geralt is amazing, Yennifer is solid. I even (ashamedly) like the bard.

2020 is off to a great start, and we’re looking forward to everything ahead. Thank you for being with us!

The post What’s on Our Minds at LFGdating.com appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

First Off, Let’s Dispel the Gamer Girl Myth

If you thought gamers in general were fighting uphill stereotype battles (living in your parent’s basement, Mountain Dew addictions, etc.), then multiply that times 10 for the gamer girl community.  While one of our company objectives here at LFGdating is to locate, close with, and destroy (sorry, former Marine here) those stereotypes, gamer girls have an even bigger social acceptance hill to climb, especially since perhaps the biggest stereotype they face is that they’re this uber tiny segment of our society.  Not to mention the other sexist stereotypes they have to deal with like lack of skill, or how “a gamer girl couldn’t possibly be attractive”, and you can see just how big of a problem these stereotypes have become.  It’s all bogus – gamer girls are not a myth.  They number in the millions, they have been kicking our asses in CS:GO and League of Legends for years, and they don’t live in their parents’ basements.  Furthermore, why don’t you ask Ronda Rousey, Natalie Portman or Mila Kunis what they think about video games?  Or just take a peek at one of the tens of thousands of gamer girls that are live streaming on Twitch at any given point.  Plus, there have been countless discussions over on Reddit of gamer couples who have met online and off – a simple Google search will show you even more examples, but we’ll leave that to you.  So how about we crush this gamer girl myth once and for all, shall we?  Excellent.

Okay, They Exist, Then Where are They?

While the title of this guide is “How to Meet a Gamer Girl IRL”, a small but still significant part of the “How” is “Where”.  And since our focus here is offline gamer dating, let’s touch on a number of great places where you can find and meet that special gamer someone.

Arcade Bars FTW

Whether you’re in Chicago, Atlanta, or Grand Rapids, MI, there’s likely one or more arcade bars in your neck of the woods that is just an Uber ride away.  If you happen to live out in the country, then this route may not apply to you, but since these are starting to sprout up like pimples on a high schooler’s face I would wager you’ll start seeing these out in rural America soon enough.

Throughout our work weekends and travels, Casey and I have checked out and reviewed a number of arcade bars and battle pubs around the country, and there are literally hundreds more on our bucket list that we intend to sample.  From Battle & Brew down here in North Atlanta, to Stella’s Lounge up in Grand Rapids, MI, these joints are becoming the norm, and just wait until you walk inside on a weekend as these establishments will be absolutely packed.  So if you live in an urban area what are you waiting for?  Call up some buddies, ask Alexa (soon enough she may be telling you about your new LFGdating matches) to call you an Uber, and check them out.

Conventions

Just this past summer Casey and I were manning the LFGdating booth at Supercon 16 down in Miami, FL, (holy moly was it hot – milk was a BAD choice), and the male to female ratio had to have been split 50/50.  Gentlemen, if you’re looking for a gamer girl IRL, then get yourself a one or two-day pass to the next video game and geek convention in your area, and check it out.  No, not every woman there is going to be dressed in cosplay – in fact most probably aren’t, so again try and let go of those stereotypes and walk in with the intention of meeting real women, because that’s what the mythical “gamer girl” is – she just shares more of your interests than others.

Furthermore, while Casey and I are still strategizing on which convention we should attend next (Twitch Con maybe?), keep in mind that many of these events also hold IRL speed dating events with anyone who wants to participate.  Don’t believe me?  Considering LFGdating has been asked to sponsor many of these events, trust when I say that they exist, and typically will be held either at the convention or off-site at one of the major hotels.  You can’t get more specific than that in finding a gamer girl, so why not attend one and see what happens?  At the very least you’ll have a blast with some of your friends, and hey, maybe you’ll get to meet Casey and I at the LFGdating booth!

Literally Anywhere

If you’ve browsed some of our female profiles here at LFGdating, you’ll quickly find that outside of gaming these women like to do just about everything else non-gamers like to do, so keep in mind that you should be looking everywhere.  While you’re definitely more likely to meet women that do not play video games, the awesome part – and this is a tenant here at LFGdating – is that a true love connection will ALWAYS go deeper than a hobby or shared interest.  While it’s nice to have that overlap, it should never be the focus.  And best of all, since video games have become such a prominent aspect to our society, chances are the woman you just met at Starbucks will probably enjoy picking up a controller and playing some Destiny with you – maybe not for multiple hours, but that’s how successful relationships go.  You find someone you connect with on a deeper level than a hobby or interest, and then you support each other by doing what the other partner enjoys – maybe not all the time, but I guarantee on a fourth or fifth date if you challenge your girl to a round of Mario Kart 64 she will almost surely say yes.  And she’ll also probably kick your butt.

Alright, So How do I Make my Approach?

Now that we’ve broken down the where, let’s talk more specifically about the how.  The neat thing about this is that the IRL experience is ultimately no different than when you’re sending your first message on LFGdating – you’re nervous, it’s your first approach and impression, and you want to succeed.  So whether you’re about to craft your first message or walk up to that girl reading a book’s back cover in the aisle of a book store, your approach should always hit three areas: confidence, introducing yourself, and focusing on them.

Confidence is King

You’ll read it in every dating advice article and book in existence, and it’s still true: you have to have confidence in yourself.  What I’ve always done is tell myself that this is my only chance, and quite frankly it probably is: what are the odds you’ll ever run into this woman again?  Don’t have any regrets, so when you walk up to her make sure she knows from the get go that you’re not nervous, and that you’re there because you absolutely wanted to talk to her, and no one else.  She’ll not only appreciate that – she expects it.

Introduce Yourself

You know what the best pickup line is?  “Hi, I’m [first name], what’s yours?” I know, it’s not funny, it won’t make your buddies laugh, but it’s above and beyond the only pickup line you should ever, ever use.  You know why?  Because it’s incredibly simple, you won’t forget the punch line, 99% of women hate pickup lines anyway, and it gives you an extremely easy path to a normal conversation.  If you want her phone number, kick off your conversation with this easy intro – you can thank me later!

Focus on Them

While I included the Andy Stitzer, 40 Year-old Virgin image for humor purposes, please do not take Andy’s approach that involves only asking questions.  While your focus should absolutely be entirely about them – which involves questions – don’t go overboard with this.  Conversations should have a natural flow to them, so while it can be challenging to avoid an awkward moment now and then, just keep in mind if she likes you – and if you’re confident and you didn’t drop a disastrous pick-up line to start – then she’ll help keep the conversation moving until you’re ready to close and ask for her phone number.

You see, it’s not all that hard after you put some rational thought behind it, is it?  Gamer girls do exist, and they are not hard to find.  While LFGdating offers perhaps the simplest method to meeting the gamer girl (or guy) of your dreams through our website or mobile app, your IRL options for meeting one are endless – you just have to put yourself out there, and be yourself.

Thanks for stopping by LFGdating’s gamer dating blog, and stay tuned for more great guides from the co-founders!  And if you haven’t created an LFGdating profile yet, click here to get started!

The post How to Meet a Gamer Girl IRL appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

Located just north of the perimeter, and a quick Uber ride away from the Sandy Springs MARTA station is an insanely cool geek and gamer bar called Battle & Brew.  With an endless list of PC and console games to choose from, along with some pretty slick hourly rates, you can team up with your good friends over beers and some dust_2, or you can make some new friends of the opposite sex while you kick back and watch some of the biggest Twitch streams on any of the dozens of flat screens around the bar.

On the IRL side of the house, the beer list is just about as ginormous as the gaming list and the food – at least the stuff we sampled last night – was outstanding.  Best of all is that  the entire experience won’t break your bank – after a couple hours of StarCraft II (#terran4lyfe), a few local Terrapin IPAs, and a High Noon flatbread (if you like spicy food folks, then this is for you) I was only out about $45 bucks.  That is a flat out steal, and for what I would describe as a true gaming/social experience, Battle & Brew is a must-go-to if you’re in the Atlanta area.

You can check out the Battle & Brew website here, and be sure to send them a follow from LFG at their Twitter account!  Oh, and if you haven’t created a profile at LFGdating yet, what in the world are you waiting for?  Click here to get started!  Maybe our next gamer singles event in Atlanta will be at Battle & Brew!

All images courtesy of Battleandbrew.com, probably the coolest gaming bar in ‘Merica.

The post Bars We Love: Battle & Brew appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

Now it’s time to have some fun in Chicago. We’ll be at Emporium at least once. We’ll be visiting Headquarters Beercade too. We’ll be working on new advertising and marketing campaigns, and we’ll be binge coding our app throughout the weekend. Lots to do, and we’re looking forward to it.

Coffee is brewing and Super Troopers is on in the background. Time to get to work.

The post Another LFGdating Work Weekend Commences! appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

The best part of creating a profile on LFGdating is that you get to meet new people every day. Gamers that are just like you: intelligent, fun and awesome to be around. With the summer fading and autumn on the rise, we want to share some first date ideas with you. Once you reach out and meet someone meaningful, here are some first date ideas that will get you away from your computer and out having fun!

Botanical Garden

Most major cities and surrounding suburbs have at least one botanical garden basically free of charge. You don’t have to be a plantsman or garden expert to appreciate the different types of flowers and greenery a botanical garden has to offer. Some places even have small tours or classes you can arrange to sit in on. While botanical gardens typically don’t serve alcohol, this is a great pre or post lunch or dinner venue. And remember, not only is the scenery amazing, but it’s cost effective as well. Double bonus!

Brew and View

This is for those of you who want to up the ante on the traditional dinner and a movie kind of night. Brew and views typically offer more comfy and cozy seats or couches for your viewing pleasure. Couple this with your ability to enjoy an adult beverage or two, and you’re in pretty great shape. We recommend following two guidelines if you choose this date idea. One, limit yourself to two drinks. Maybe a third if your date wants to splurge and its a longer movie (insert titanic theme music…) Two, have a ride home planned out before the film begins.

Minor League Game

The beauty of attending a minor league game is everything is basically 1/10th the cost. Sure, you may not be court side in an NBA game, at the 50 yard line of an NFL game, or behind the plate of an MLB game, but you also won’t be crushing your budget to eat nachos and watch live action. Lots of smaller cities outside of metropolitan areas have some form of minor league baseball, hockey, football or basketball games. Plus, it’s autumn! The weather has a chance of being amazing if you choose a baseball game.

Arcade Bar

Games and a drink? Sign me up! Arcade games abound, and you should have no trouble hopping from game to game for at least an hour or two. Want to play the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game? Knock yourself out! Or how about The Simpsons? Terrorize Springfield with Bart’s skateboard. Maybe you’re a Burger Time expert. Whatever your milieu, enjoy it with a beer! (If you’re in Chicago, we recommend Emporium!)

Where you choose to meet up in person for the first time, the most important thing is to enjoy the time you spend together. Whether inside or outside this fall, make sure you learn as much about the other person as you can in the time you have. Games are fun, but it’s the people around us who truly make our lives better. When you find the person you’re looking for at LFGdating, make the most out of your time together!

The post First Date Ideas for Fall appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

Whether you’re planning regular weekend beach trips to Lake Michigan or simply planning on setting up shop with your friends at your favorite watering hole’s beer garden – (or awesome arcade bar), summer is that perfect time of year where everyone seems to come outside, mingle, and search for love.  The weather is warm, the sun shines longer, and for those of us who had the pleasure of growing up or are currently living in northern climates, people are just generally happier this time of year, and for good reasons.

But here at LFGdating, we don’t want you to just be happier because of the warmer weather; we want you to be happier because you’ve found that exact someone that you can spend not just your entire summer with, but multiple summers with and quite honestly, your entire life with.  We also want to keep your wallet happy at LFG, so you can spend more of your hard-earned money on your significant other than monthly online dating subscriptions.  At LFG, our one-time, lifetime subscription costs about the same as one month at Match or eHarmony.  And the best part: LFG is 100% geeks, gamers, and nerds, so you know that natural connection is already in place, and that’s perhaps the greatest feeling of all.

With summer just about here, you could not have picked a better time to create a profile, and find love.  Whether you’ve got a few months off before your next semester, or just have weekend trips planned to the beach, make this summer even better by sharing it with not only someone else, but that someone else who may just be by your side for every other summer down the road.

The post Find Love This Summer with LFG appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

12-year-old me spent his time playing NBA Jam, Contra and Mortal Kombat, Now at 32 years old, I spent last night playing NBA Jam, Contra and Mortal Kombat, but this time, I had a really good craft beer in my hand. What’s the difference twenty years makes? Not much, actually. Not much at all.

I still love these games. Sure, I don’t spend my time practicing Sub Zero’s freeze spell (which I recalled to my credit). I spend my time fixing spreadsheets and helping out co- workers more than not. But once the work week is over, is there anything better than drinking a great new craft beer with a buddy over an arcade game? No. No there is not.

The Emporium in Wicker Park was an excellent experience last night. But what made it so memorable was not that I went 2-0 as Blanka in Street Fighter 2 (button mashing ftw!), it was that the business itself was run so smoothly. First, the Emporium was clean. The tables and countertops were always cleaned and hawked over by the staff. The arcade games were clean. Even the bathroom was basically immaculate. C’mon – that’s impressive.

Also, the staff were helpful and quick to take care of me. I didn’t have my hand up at the end of the bar for fifteen minutes (which can be a norm with busy Chicago night life). The staff knew the different types of beer, and I want you to focus on the subject of this sentence: the staff. Not just one person, each bartender that served me. These are real people with real life problems like rent and possibly student loans, and they weren’t treating me like I was making their job harder by “ordering a drink.” The staff was great. Period.

And the craft beer selection was impressive. The Emporium easily had twenty-five craft beers on tap. Sure, they had the local Chicago favorites like Half-Acre and Revolution, but they had some beers in there you don’t see everywhere, like Three Floyd’s Zombie Dust. So, you walk in, see all these great games to play, and think, “This is going to be great.” Then you see the craft beer list (they have hard alcohol too), and think, “This is going to be even better than I thought.” That’s a fun mental progression.

Is the Emporium made of rainbows where everyone ever loves the place? Probably not. But I went in without expectations, and I was blown – period – away – period. The Emporium made my weekend, and I bet it’ll make yours too.

And they have Moonwalker!

The post Chicago’s Emporium Arcade Bar = Apex of Awesomeness appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

If you’re in the Midwest, passing through, or born and raised in the western Michigan/Grand Rapids area, and you’re looking for a great place for a fun date, then head to Commerce Street in GR and hit up Stella’s!  Oh, and this place is also doing its part in the fight against gamer stereotypes; just try and squeeze in the door on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night and you’ll catch my drift.  Gaming has always been cool; Stella’s has been saying that for years, and now they’ve introduced stellar burgers to go along with it.  And by stellar I mean “best burger in America” stellar.

Check out Stella’s official website right here, and sign up for free at LFG Dating today!

The post Stella’s: Video Games and Burgers appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.

Enough is enough.  Gamers sorely need a professional gamer dating service, and LFG Dating is the answer.  Did I mention that it’s free to signup?  Register for free today, and don’t forget to tell your friends about us!

The post Video Games, Dating, and LFG appeared first on Gamer Dating Blog | LFGdating.com.