The History of WNY Gamers Club

The Beginnings of WNY Gamers Club

The idea for WNY Gamers Club was born between 1998-1999 during a series of monthly LAN parties in Clarence, NY and Hamburg, NY. Back then, the name didn’t exist yet, but we were unknowingly building the core foundation of what would eventually become the club. A dedicated group of 12-18 gamers regularly attended, with the main focus being the original Unreal Tournament. Everyone brought their own unique skins and voice packs, making it a truly personal experience.

The Birth of WNYGamersClub.com

In 2001, at one of the Clarence apartment LAN parties, it became clear that the events were growing in popularity. With around 16 attendees packed into the apartment, the idea of creating a website was born — a place where people could find details on when and where the next LAN party would take place. Thus, wnygamersclub.com was registered and launched.

At first, the site was a simple platform to share information and photos from previous LAN parties. However, by 2003, it expanded with the introduction of forums, and in 2004, the site received a full facelift.

Growth and Larger Events

As time passed, WNY Gamers Club continued to grow, and the LAN Party Extravaganza (LPE) events were introduced in 2005, drawing over 60 gamers (both PC and console). These larger events ran alongside the smaller house LANs, which began moving from apartments and garages to members' homes in Tonawanda, West Seneca, Holland, and Hamburg, NY.

While we aim to hold LAN parties every 2nd Saturday of the month, the unpredictable weather in Western New York often becomes a challenge. For details on upcoming events, feel free to check out our