Choosing a team-building activity is not easy. The activity needs to be able to build rapport, increase motivation, improve communication, identify the strengths and weaknesses of the team and its members, increase efficiency, bring out people with leadership capabilities, help polish problem-solving skills and encourage critical thinking, among other things. Then there are budget considerations and logistical issues to be considered. And it also has to be fun and engaging. Finding an activity fitting the aforementioned requirements is a huge feat. Our aim is to make this easy for you. Virtual escape rooms for team building should be considered.
Escape rooms are a fun activity in which a group of people are placed in a situation they have to escape by solving puzzles and discovering clues. There are physical options and also virtual ones. Virtual escape rooms are not new, with the first one being made in 1988 called ‘Behind Closed Doors’; this genre of games then gained traction and eventually led to the creation of the first ‘real-life escape game’ in 2007.
These ‘real life’ games gained immense popularity, and you can now find some versions of these ‘panic rooms’ or ‘escape rooms’ almost anywhere in the world. With the Covid-19 pandemic, these businesses took a hit. However, they adapted, and now many popular escape rooms have a digital version. The industry is booming, and virtual escape rooms are becoming a very popular team-building activity because their core concept is a great exercise for all the skills a real team needs and provides tangible metaphors for situations they may face.
List of the top five escape rooms you can choose:
1. Puzzle Break
Puzzle Break is America’s original escape room. Founded by Nate Martin and Lindsay Morse, it has a physical presence in New York, Seattle, Washington, and even on the Royal Caribbean Cruise! They are one of the biggest names in the escape room industry. Ranked ‘the #1 activity for teams of all shapes and sizes, their virtual escape rooms are absolutely brilliant! They offer different games and mention participant focus areas the game covers, making it very easy to choose the activity that fits the needs of your team. Their website states that Puzzle Break ‘has helped over 10,000 companies across the globe engage, collaborate and improve teamwork’.
Also read: Top 5 team building games
2. YouEscape
YouEscape is an online escape room game played in real-time. Played via Zoom video call, players guide the game-master to interact with on-screen items and solve puzzles. You also get clues and puzzles in the form of pictures, videos, or other website links outside of the video live stream. There are a number of game rooms or scenarios to choose from, including murder mysteries, alchemic adventures, and constellations. The duration of the game is anywhere from 60-120 minutes, depending on the room you’re playing. The creator recommends a maximum of two players per device for the best experience, and the entire thing costs only 30$! Book a time slot, gather your players and get ready to escape!!
Play here: YouEscape
3. Mystery Escape Room
This virtual escape room has many games ranging from beginner to advanced to legendary levels. Each game lasts 60 minutes and is suitable for 4-8 players aged 10 years and up. Games are inspired by The DaVinci Code, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, Nancy Drew, Treasure Island, and A Christmas Carol. They cost around 10$ per person depending on the game and can be played from anywhere in the world. The puzzles appear on screen and have to be solved by the team in order to escape. An escape room guide is also present for the duration of the game who can be reached through a conference call. The Mystery Escape Room has been featured by Vogue and The Oprah Magazine and is trusted by companies such as Amazon, Apple, Ford and Facebook.
Play here: Mystery Escape Room
4. Hogwarts Digital Escape Room
One thing Millennials and Gen Z have in common is their love for Harry Potter. The orphan boy wizard with a pet owl embarking on adventures at his school of wizardry along with his two trusted friends is a modern classic with a cult following. So there is no doubt at all that this virtual escape room created by Sydney Krawiec at Peters Township Public Library in McMurray, Pennsylvania, will be a big hit with your team. It is free of cost and can be played multiple times.
You arrive as a first-year in Hogwarts and solve various puzzles to win challenges. To make things even more fun you can ask team members to dress up in robes and assign each other to the four houses (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff) before starting the game. The game can be played as a team or between two teams competing against each other. However you decide to play it, the Hogwarts Digital Escape Room will be a fun activity; there’s a reason you’ll find it on almost all virtual escape room lists.
Play here: Hogwarts Digital Escape Room
5. Escape Experience
Located physically in Chattanooga, Tennessee, their virtual escape rooms can be accessed by players anywhere in the world. Their games are live hosted and a remote avatar operative is locked in the actual escape room. Your team will guide him over zoom and work together to escape situations like Vaccine: Search For The Cure, The Bunker, Runaway Train. The Inheritance Room and C-Block Prison Break. The team will be provided a virtual inventory system called ‘Telescape’ and will have 60 minutes to escape. This highly immersive escape room experience will be a fun event the entire team will enjoy!
Play here: Escape Experience
Each team is unique and has different demands from a team-building activity. This list is created keeping in mind these factors and also the different budget requirements. Happy escaping!