You can spend an evening in Discord looking for a new game and end up playing the same one as last night. Everyone has suggestions, but someone doesn’t own the game, it costs too much, or there aren’t enough player slots.

Agree on the kind of night you want

If you want to catch up while you play, say so. If you want to push a campaign forward, say that too. Your friends can like the same games and want different things from tonight’s session.

Set a spending limit that works for everyone, including zero. Nobody needs to justify skipping a purchase. A discount doesn’t make a game fit your group.

Respect the time people have. If someone can stay for an hour, include downloads and tutorials in that hour. Save a game that needs more setup for a night when you can prepare.

Check the fit before adding more suggestions

Compare shared libraries and player limits before watching more trailers. For example, a four-player game won’t fit five friends who want to play together. Check that detail before everyone gets invested in the idea.

Build a short list from the games that fit. Ask which ones people are willing to try for a session, then agree how you’ll choose if you’re split. Taking turns to pick is one option.

Keep extra suggestions for another night so the decision doesn’t restart with each link.

This gives you a way to choose, but someone still has to check the libraries. That’s the part we’re building PLAYNEXT to help with.

Find the overlap with PLAYNEXT

PLAYNEXT is coming soon. It will compare the linked Steam libraries of your Discord voice party and recommend co-op games based on your group’s preferences.

You’ll gather in voice and run /playnext in the voice channel’s text chat. The recommendations will give you two lists:

  • Play now will show games everyone in the party owns. You’ll still need to check downloads, updates, and setup before playing.
  • Worth buying will show missing copies and their total cost. Compare that amount with the budget you agreed on, or choose something everyone owns if you’d rather skip the purchase.

Party preferences such as platform, budget, and favorites will help narrow those recommendations. Your group will still need to agree on the time available and the kind of session you want. We want you to have ownership and costs in view while you choose.