Diwali Party Gaming Setup: PS5, Xbox and Games on Rent

By the second evening of Diwali, the snacks are finished, the cards have been played to death and the younger cousins have started staring at their phones. A console on the TV fixes that. It gives the whole room something to do together, from the eight-year-old to the uncle who swears he was a champion at Contra in 1995. You do not need to buy a console for one festival. Renting one for a few days costs far less than buying, and you hand it back when the lights come down. This guide covers what to rent, what it costs, which games work for a mixed crowd and how to set the evening up.

Why a console works at a Diwali gathering

Diwali fills the house with people of every age. Card games and antakshari work for some of them, but a console game pulls in everyone. A racing game needs no instructions. A party sports game lets the grandparents join. A co-op adventure gives teenagers a reason to sit next to relatives. Renting makes sense because the demand is short: a few days at home during the festival, then it goes back.

What to rent and what it costs

Rentux lists consoles in several cities. These are the listing prices today, and they can change, so check the product page before you plan.

• PS5 in Pune: Rs. 800 a day, Rs. 2,000 a week (PS5 in Pune).
• PS5 in Mumbai, 1 controller and 2 games: Rs. 850 a day, Rs. 1,800 for 3 days (PS5 in Mumbai). The 2 controller version is Rs. 990 a day and Rs. 2,100 for 3 days, which suits a party better.
• PS5 in Delhi: Rs. 900 a day, Rs. 1,650 for 3 days (PS5 in Delhi).
• PS5 in Gurugram, 2 controllers and 2 games: Rs. 850 a day, Rs. 1,800 for 3 days (PS5 in Gurugram).
• PS5 in Chennai: Rs. 800 a day (PS5 in Chennai).
• Xbox One S in Pune: Rs. 400 a day, Rs. 1,500 a week (Xbox One S).
• PS4 in Pune: Rs. 600 a day, Rs. 1,500 a week (PS4 in Pune).
• Extra PS5 controller: Rs. 250 a day (PS5 controller on rent).
• Games: Rs. 50 a day each, Rs. 200 a week.

For a house with a lot of guests, a three-day rental usually costs less per day than renting daily, so pick the 3 day plan if the listing offers it. See every option on the gaming consoles on rent in Pune page, and the city pages for Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram and Chennai.

Pick the right console for your crowd

PS5: The best picture and the fastest loading, with a huge library of games. It is the right choice if you have a decent TV and want the best experience. Read the PS5 rental price guide for the full price breakdown.

PS4: Cheaper and still excellent for party games. If you want to save, the PS4 does the job for most family games.

Xbox One S: The lowest price at Rs. 400 a day. A good pick if you only need a simple setup. See the Xbox on rent guide.

Not sure between the two big names? Read PS4 vs PS5: which console is right for you.

Games that work for a Diwali crowd

The catalog at Rs. 50 a day per game is mostly story-driven titles such as Spider-Man, God of War Ragnarok, Horizon and Uncharted. Those are great when two or three people take turns, but they are not party games. For a big group, choose games with these qualities:

• Quick to learn. Anyone should understand it in under a minute.
• Short rounds. People drift in and out during a family evening.
• Fun to watch. Half the room will be watching, not playing.

Racing, football and simple multiplayer titles tick all three. Ask the team which games come with the console you pick, because bundles differ by city. The Logitech G923 racing wheel at Rs. 600 a day turns a racing game into the main attraction of the evening, if you want to go bigger.

For solo evenings after the party, Spider-Man 2 and God of War Ragnarok are the two easiest wins for adults.

Set it up in 15 minutes

1. Choose the TV. A living room TV with an HDMI port is all you need. Keep the console near the TV, in open air, not inside a closed cabinet.
2. Check the power. Plug it into a surge-protected board, not a loose extension that also runs lights. Diwali lights can overload a board.
3. Charge the controllers before guests arrive.
4. Test your Wi-Fi. You do not need the internet for disc and installed games, but updates may need it.
5. Keep the box. You will pack the console again when the rental ends.
6. Set a rule for kids. A simple rotation of three rounds each keeps everyone happy.

Plan for the whole festival

If you host on a single evening, rent for one day. If you want entertainment across the festival week, rent for 3 days or a week, and the daily cost drops. Send your enquiry a few days before the festival so the dates and games are settled early. For party ideas beyond Diwali, read how renting gaming consoles can elevate your house parties. If a projector would make the evening bigger, see projectors on rent and our guide to a projector for weddings and events.

A simple plan for a three-day Diwali gaming schedule

A console works best when it has a role, so it does not sit unused after the first hour. Here is a plan that has worked well for family gatherings.

Day one, evening: a quick tournament. Split the room into teams and run short rounds of a racing or sports game. Keep a scoreboard on a sheet of paper, with a small prize such as sweets for the winners. The point is to get people laughing in the first ten minutes.

Day two, afternoon: the kids' slot. After lunch, when the adults rest, give the children a fixed hour on a family-friendly game. This keeps the screen time agreed in advance, so nobody has to argue about it later.

Day two, night: a story game for the adults. After the guests leave, one person plays through an action adventure while the others watch, which is surprisingly popular. A cinematic title such as Ghost of Tsushima at Rs. 50 a day makes the TV feel like a film.

Day three: pack up. Return the console in the same condition, with its cables and controllers, so there are no surprises when the rental ends.

Budget for a typical Diwali weekend

For a three-day rental in Mumbai with two controllers and two games, the listing price is Rs. 2,100. Adding one more game for three days at Rs. 50 a day costs Rs. 150 in total. That is roughly the price of a family dinner out, spread over three days of entertainment at home. Compare that with the cost of buying a console, which only makes sense if you will play it all year. If you are thinking about buying, our guide on how renting gaming consoles can save you money shows how the numbers compare.

If you live in a different city, open your city page and pick the console listed there. Prices differ slightly by city, as the list above shows.

Quick answers

How many controllers do I need? Two is the minimum for a group. Rent an extra at Rs. 250 a day if you want four players.

Can kids play? Yes. Pick family-friendly games and set a time limit.

Do I need a subscription? Not for the installed and disc games that come with the rental.

Can I rent games too? Yes, at Rs. 50 a day each.

Ready to book? Choose your city from the list above, pick the number of controllers and games and send an enquiry with your Diwali dates.