Corporate escape game: which format should you choose for your team?

Why are escape games so popular with companies?

The principle is simple: a team must solve a series of puzzles within a time limit to “escape” or complete a mission. In practice, it is a surprising mirror of how a group works. Who speaks up? Who searches alone in a corner? Who connects two clues found by different people? In an hour, you see what a year of meetings doesn’t always show.

It is also an activity that requires no physical fitness, is played indoors whatever the weather, and appeals to analytical and more intuitive people alike.

What are the different escape game formats?

For a seminar, the mobile format is often the most practical. In the one we organise, each team receives a case with compartments and must defuse a fictional bomb by decoding a series of clues, in 1.5 hours. All the teams play at the same time in the same room, which creates healthy competition and allows a final ranking.

Puzzle walls (or film walls, where you have to recognise films from altered posters) work on a different principle: teams move between panels and send their answers by text message, for about 2 hours, with up to 200 participants. It is a good option for a cocktail reception or a trade fair where guests come and go.

How should you put the teams together?

Aim for 5 to 7 players per team. With fewer, you lack pairs of eyes; with more, some end up as spectators. Mix departments and levels of seniority: a director hunting for a code alongside an apprentice is exactly the point of the exercise. Avoid, however, putting a manager with their own direct team, who will tend to wait for instructions.

Think too about people who don’t like the pressure of a timer or enclosed spaces. The mobile format, played in a large open room, is more comfortable for them than a locked room.

How do you prepare the room and the running order?

A mobile escape game needs few things, but they matter. You need a room large enough for teams not to overhear each other too much, one table per team, decent lighting to read the clues, and easy access for the equipment. Allow about an hour for set-up before participants arrive and half an hour to pack away. If the room is also used for your meetings, schedule the game in a slot when it is free.

1. Briefing: the host introduces the scenario, the mission and the rules, in a few minutes and with a touch of theatre.
2. Play: teams search, decode and open the compartments. The hosts circulate and give out clues if a team is stuck for too long.
3. Finale: the last few minutes, with the timer on display, create the tension that makes the memory.
4. Results: ranking, a symbolic prize, a photo of the winning teams.
5. Debrief: fifteen minutes to draw lessons from the game.

Which scenario should you choose?

The scenario sets the tone. A secret agent mission or a bomb disposal creates urgency and appeals to competitive teams. A police investigation puts the emphasis on deduction and note-taking. A tailor-made scenario built around your company (a product to launch, a project to rescue) turns the game into an internal communication tool. Choose it according to what you want to observe or strengthen in your team. Finally, check that the difficulty is right: a group that has never played needs clues more often than a team of regulars, and the host must be able to adjust the pace during the game.

Why plan a debrief after the activity?

An escape game without a debrief is still a good time. With a debrief, it becomes a management tool. Fifteen minutes are enough, ideally led by someone from outside the teams:

• What made you gain, or lose, time?
• How did information flow between team members?
• Who made decisions, and how did the others feel about it?
• What would you do differently, and what does that say about the way we work?

How much does a corporate escape game cost?

The price is calculated per player or per team, depending on the format and numbers. An escape room charges per session; a mobile escape game includes transporting the equipment and hosts, then becomes better value as the group grows. To compare two offers, check how many hosts will be there, the set-up time in your room, whether there is a prize-giving and whether the scenario can be customised with your messages or logo.

Our escape games and puzzle walls are priced on request, according to numbers and venue. We can link them with the rest of your day: a cocktail workshop for drinks, then a DJ or a casino night for the evening.