“How many people do you need for an escape room?”

This is the burning question you need to answer before you can gather your friends and draw up your daring escape plan.

After all, the world of escape rooms is one where every corner holds a mystery waiting to be solved. Imagine being locked in a room filled with cryptic puzzles and hidden clues, ready to be cracked.

This is why knowing the right people and how many of them you can bring is essential for increasing your chances of success.

Join us as we explore the collaborative nature of escape room challenges. Discover the perfect escape room group size to conquer these immersive quests in the article below, and ready your team for every twist and turn. You can even book a demo with us to learn more about our escape room packages. 

Ideal Escape Room Group Sizes

Prepare for your escape room game journey by choosing the perfect team size. Consider the following group sizes tailored to your preferences.

• Large groups
• Small groups
• Couples or duos

Let us start by exploring how large groups tackle escape room challenges.

NOTE: When crafting an escape room, room designers focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. This is a given, regardless of group size, so choose your teammates wisely!

Large Groups

Large groups are great for most escape rooms because they bring out the numbers advantage. You can bring four to eight people to fully utilize the escape room element and enhance your problem-solving ability.

With more people come more diverse skills and ideas, making it easier to crack codes and solve puzzles. Plus, working together in a big group encourages teamwork and communication, leading to more likely success.

These large groups shine in corporate team-building events. In these groups, many participants can interact and bond outside their typical office cubicles or team layouts.

The teamwork needed in escape rooms fosters unity and camaraderie, which often translates to improved collaboration and productivity at work.

However, one downside of having too many participants is that they cause too much distraction and chaos, and not everyone can reach their fullest potential. You can lose out on the collaborative effort if not everyone gets a chance to speak.

Small Groups

Small groups are beneficial in escape rooms because they increase each individual’s engagement. With fewer group members, everyone can participate more actively, making the experience more immersive.

These small groups shine in intimate gatherings. In these groups, close interaction and shared experiences are key.

With fewer members (four or fewer), connections deepen, and everyone feels encouraged to contribute.

Small groups also find communicating and working easier, resulting in a cohesive approach to solving puzzles. However, having too few people in the room may hinder your productivity or ability to develop ideas.

Couples or Duos

Even just two people can do well in an escape room, showing how critical teamwork and synergy are in achieving group success. Couples or duos can have a great time in an escape room, enjoying the more personal and intimate atmosphere.

Working closely together, partners can still solve puzzles and conquer escape room challenges effectively without the distraction of added people in the room.

The duo’s dynamic can create or enhance their special connection, making the experience truly memorable. This set-up works for in-person rooms or a virtual escape room for duos.

What are Some Considerations for Group Composition?

Let us take a closer look at the importance of group composition in escape rooms.

A. Factors to Consider

When forming a group for escape rooms, it is crucial to consider a few key factors. Firstly, each room has unique challenges and themes, so assembling a diverse team with different skills can be beneficial to grant the team unique perspectives.

Secondly, consider each member’s individual strengths and preferences. Some might excel at solving puzzles, while others might be great at noticing details. Utilize these skills appropriately.

Lastly, consider how well the group communicates and works together. This will significantly impact your chances of success.

B. Tailoring the Experience

Choosing the right escape room for your group size ensures everyone stays engaged. This makes the adventure more memorable and successful.

Below are themes or puzzles more conducive to specific group compositions.

For Large Groups

• Multi-Room Adventures: Escape rooms with many connected spaces allow the group to split up and solve puzzles in smaller units.
• Time-Pressure Challenges: Having more participants allows the team to divide and conquer tasks, a must with time-sensitive puzzles.
• Team vs. Team Competitions: Large groups can split into smaller teams for friendly competition.

For Small Groups or Couples

• Story-Driven Narratives: Intimate groups can fully immerse themselves in escape rooms, especially with detailed storylines.
• High-Detail Puzzles: Smaller groups benefit from intricate puzzles. Each member can focus on one without feeling overwhelmed.
• Cooperative Escape Room Challenges: Puzzles that require teamwork suit smaller groups. This fosters communication and collaboration.

Tips for Optimizing the Escape Room Experience

Unlock the secrets to mastering escape room tips with these expert hacks.

A. Effective Communication

Effective communication is paramount for success in escape rooms. It ensures team members can share ideas, coordinate efforts, and solve puzzles efficiently.

Clear communication allows participants to effectively convey important information, discuss strategies, and collaborate. Here are some straightforward tips to improve communication.

• Encourage everyone to share their ideas
• Listen carefully to others
• Assign roles based on strengths
• Use both words and gestures to communicate
• Keep everyone updated on progress and challenges

These tips can help your team work better together, solve puzzles faster, and have more fun in the escape room.

B. Leveraging Individual Strengths

Leveraging personal strengths involves using the abilities of each member to maximize success.

Encouraging members to identify their strengths and assign tasks can enhance overall performance.

Here are some invaluable skills you must bring into an escape room.

• Analytical Skills: People good at analyzing can break down complex problems, making it easier to solve codes and puzzles.
• Observational Skills: Those who notice small details can find hidden clues faster, helping the team progress.
• Critical Thinking: Logical thinkers can figure out patterns and make intelligent guesses. This guides the team through challenges.
• Creativity: Creative folks bring fresh ideas, finding new ways to solve puzzles when ordinary methods do not work.
• Leadership Skills: Leaders organize the team, assign tasks, and keep everyone motivated. They ensure the group stays focused and tackles escape room challenges efficiently.

Using everyone’s strengths helps teams tackle puzzles from different angles, improving their chances of success.

Key Takeaways on the Number of People in Escape Rooms

In conclusion, virtual escape rooms offer unmatched flexibility and adaptability. They cater to various preferences and group sizes.

At Escapely, our escape room games are designed for large and small groups alike. We ensure everyone enjoys an unforgettable experience.

Consider your group’s strengths and dynamics as you plan your next adventure. Dive into an escape room journey filled with excitement, teamwork, and endless possibilities. Book a demo to find out more or email us at hello@escapely.com! 

Escape rooms and escape room businesses have emerged as a global phenomenon, captivating individuals eager to immerse themselves in real-life adventures.

These games challenge participants to solve puzzles, decipher codes, and complete tasks within a set time limit, all in the pursuit of escaping a themed room.

It is common to wonder, “How long does an escape room take?” especially if you are considering this activity for your friends, family, or co-workers. This can apply to both real-life and virtual escape rooms.

This article aims to shed light on the average duration necessary for completing an escape room. By examining various experiences, we will provide insights into the typical length of these engaging games. 

While the focus remains on the excitement of the escape room adventure, it is worth mentioning that several factors can influence completion times. Most rooms have a maximum time limit of 60 minutes but can be extended upon request for an extra price.

The complexity of the puzzles, the problem-solving skills of team members, and the ability to brainstorm solutions collectively play a crucial role in determining whether participants can escape within the allotted hour.

If you are interested in experiencing an escape room with an engaging host and fun puzzles, you may book a demo with us. Now, let us learn more about how long an escape room takes.

What Factors Influence the Duration?

Escape rooms are recognized for their ability to offer immersive and thrilling experiences. Participants are not merely players. They become integral parts of a narrative where every puzzle solved and every clue found propels the storyline forward.

The duration of an escape room can thus vary depending on many factors. Some of the most common ones are the following.

• Difficulty level
• Number of puzzles
• Size of the room
• Team dynamics
• Room variety

Regardless of what can hold a team back during a game, escape rooms have a set time limit, regardless of how fast or slow a team completes the challenging puzzles.

A. Difficulty Level

The difficulty level of an escape room affects the time it takes for teams to complete the game. Escape rooms are designed with varying levels of complexity, catering to players of different backgrounds.

The more challenging the puzzles, the greater the demand on participants’ problem-solving abilities and quick thinking, which can extend the duration of the escape room experience.

Intricate puzzles requiring critical thinking and a keen eye for detail make an escape room experience fun and mentally stimulating. The team must work together, leveraging each member’s strengths to solve tasks and unravel hidden clues.

Solving the escape room with collaborative effort helps with the complexity of these challenges, affecting how quickly participants can reasonably progress through the game.

If it is your first escape room or you are dealing with particularly complex puzzles, the adventure can take longer than anticipated.

First-time participants may need extra time to familiarize themselves with the concept of escape rooms and develop effective strategies for solving puzzles. However, there are many engaging escape rooms with easy puzzles for beginners.

Longer games designed with experienced players in mind offer a series of intricate challenges that require sustained focus and persistence to solve.

B. Number of Puzzles

The quantity of puzzles in an escape room directly impacts how long it takes to complete the game. In escape games, each puzzle or task players encounter adds to the overall challenge and extends the duration of the experience.

The more there are, the more opportunities players have to solve and progress, but this also means they might spend more time in the room, especially if they get stuck on a challenging puzzle.

When comparing completion times, rooms with a higher number of puzzles generally take longer to finish than those with fewer tasks.

However, this is not always a straightforward comparison. Some short escape rooms might pack many puzzles into a brief time frame, requiring quick thinking and rapid problem-solving ability.

In contrast, rooms with fewer challenges might offer more complex challenges that take longer to solve.

Your game master may provide hints to help teams move forward if they find themselves stuck on one puzzle for too long, ensuring that everyone continues to have fun and the game progresses smoothly.

C. Size of the Room

The size of the room in an escape game can significantly influence the overall duration it takes for players to escape. Larger rooms or those that feature multiple rooms can add to the complexity and depth of the game.

This expanded space allows for more intricate world-building and a more immersive experience, potentially extending the time players spend as they navigate and solve puzzles.

In larger spaces, players must solve puzzles while coordinating their exploration efforts and communicate effectively to cover more ground.

This necessity for teamwork and strategic planning can also contribute to escape room time, especially in unique games that feature elaborate themes, like a bank heist, where players might feel as if they are part of an immersive world.

The challenge of moving through and understanding the space means that even veteran players might find themselves fully engaged for the entire hour, if not longer.

D. Team Dynamics

Effective teamwork is crucial in determining how quickly a team can escape the room. As soon as the game starts, each team member must rely on each other to complete all the escape room games.

The ability of team members to work together, share discoveries, and strategize effectively can significantly reduce the time it takes to move through the various challenges an escape room presents.

A well-coordinated team often finds it easier to uncover hidden clues and make connections necessary for advancing towards the final puzzle.

Communication and collaboration are the goals of escape rooms. Teams that communicate effectively, ensuring everyone is on the same page and aware of each other’s discoveries, tend to perform better.

A regular check-in process and information sharing among team members will facilitate a smoother experience, allowing the group to progress through the room more efficiently.

A game guide may offer hints, but ultimately, the team’s collective effort and ability to work as a unit determines their success within the allotted one-hour timeslot.

E. Room Variety

When selecting an escape room, you must consider the desired duration and challenge level to ensure the experience aligns with your expectations. These are provided with escape games’ introductions.

Escape rooms vary widely in terms of theme and complexity, offering everything from thrilling adventures to more immersive experiences.

This variety means that some games may be shorter and more straightforward, ideal for beginners or those looking for a quick activity. In contrast, others might offer a longer, more challenging experience suitable for seasoned players.

To optimize your escape room experience, choose a room that matches your preferences and your team’s skill level.

Whether you are searching for a light-hearted game to play with friends or a more demanding escape room challenge, there is likely an option that fits the bill.

Taking the time to research and select an escape room game that aligns with your interests and desired commitment can significantly enhance the enjoyment and satisfaction derived from the game.

Escape the City

Are you looking for a thrilling challenge for your private parties or time with friends?

Escape The City offers a unique twist on the traditional escape room experience. It transforms your entire city into a vast escape game playground, where each location serves as a stage for the adventure.

In Escape The City, every stop is integrated with real-world elements, providing clues that lead to your next destination. This innovative approach allows players to interact with their surroundings in a novel and engaging way.

The experience is available in various cities, including San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, and more. Each has its own lore, making a more interesting escape game for all participants.

This widespread availability makes it accessible for those looking to infuse their city explorations with a bit of mystery and excitement.

Teams can expect to complete the escape game within 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on their pace and how quickly they can decipher the clues.

This flexibility in timing ensures that the game can be a perfect addition to any outing, offering fun and adventure at every turn.

Tips for a Successful Escape

Here are a few additional hacks and tricks to help you make the most of your 60 minutes and easily find the escape room tips you need to complete all the games.

• Time allocation strategies
• Effective communication
• Problem-solving strategies
• Every second counts

By keeping these tips in mind, you can get your money’s worth and increase your chances of successfully completing escape rooms with your friends.

A. Time Allocation Strategies

When diving into an escape room, you must prioritize tasks and foster effective collaboration to make the most of your allotted time.

With typically 60 minutes on the clock, teams that quickly organize themselves, dividing responsibilities and tackling different aspects of the room simultaneously, tend to find more success.

This approach helps maximize the time and enhances the fun by keeping everyone engaged.

The ability to swiftly identify which tasks should be addressed first can significantly impact your experience with escape rooms and help you use your escape room time wisely.

Teams that take a moment to assess their surroundings and decide on a plan of action are also more likely to escape the room faster.

Recognizing immediate objectives and assigning them to different team members allows for a smoother flow through the game, turning the challenge into an enjoyable adventure for all participants.

B. Effective Communication

Escape rooms were designed to encourage effective communication. Sharing clues and observations as soon as they are discovered ensures that all team members are working with the same information.

This practice helps streamline the problem-solving process while fostering a collaborative environment where everyone feels involved.

A game guide can offer hints that prompt further discussion and exploration among team members. However, it is still up to the players to encourage each other to stay positive and communicate how they can move forward with each puzzle.

Even the smallest detail is important and should be communicated inside an escape room. What might appear as an inconsequential element could be a potential clue leading to the next step in the game.

Recognizing and communicating every observation, no matter how minor it may seem, can be the difference between staying stuck and moving forward, allowing you to accomplish your mission and win the game within the allotted time.

C. Problem-solving Strategies

Escape rooms were designed to encourage participants to think outside the box while they play. Analyzing clues from different perspectives can allow them to uncover solutions that may not be immediately apparent.

It is crucial for players to stay focused and maintain a positive mindset to solve challenges creatively. This makes the game more fun and enriches the problem-solving experience.

As you go through each room, leverage each team member’s unique skills and insights to enhance the group’s problem-solving capacity.

Whether it is a knack for noticing subtle details, logical reasoning, or creative thinking, every individual brings something valuable to the table.

By utilizing the diverse strengths within the team in the escape room, groups can navigate the intricacies of escape rooms more effectively.

This collaborative effort not only accelerates progress but also ensures that the experience is enjoyable for all participants.

D. Every Second Counts

An escape room game only lasts for a limited time, which adds a thrilling element to the game. Whether you are in a physical location or participating in virtual escape rooms, the clock is always ticking.

This time constraint encourages players to make every second count, pushing them to think faster and work more efficiently as they navigate through the challenges presented.

The key is to stay focused on the task at hand, collaborate effectively with teammates, and, most importantly, enjoy the escape room adventure.

Staying positive while completing an escape room, even when faced with complex challenges, can significantly enhance the group’s performance and overall experience.

Remember, the goal is not just to escape the room but also to have fun, play, and create lasting memories with peers or colleagues in the same room or even in virtual spaces.

Key Takeaways on How Long An Escape Room Takes

Many factors can influence the duration of escape rooms, from how the team works to the difficulty of the challenges in each escape room.

Remember to consider the time limit along with these factors to ensure you get the most out of your escape room. Researching the different businesses can help you find the best escape rooms that can match your needs.

Escapely is the most reliable when it comes to in-person and virtual escape rooms. You are guaranteed to find diverse and engaging escape room games that can help you have fun while working on essential skills you can use daily.

Book your next adventure with us and prepare for an exhilarating experience with our games that are sure to help you think outside the box and foster a stronger bond with your peers.

The concept of diversity, inclusion, and equity (DEI) is not new — far from it. DEI dates way back to the ’60s and has grown significantly over the years to encompass more groups across all economic and social levels. According to recent research, as high as 78% of workers prioritize working for companies that value and promote DEI. 

But while most current organizations and companies know what DEI is and why it is important, not all know how to improve it. And part of this failure comes from miscommunication and too-formal training that does little to actually practice DEI. Enter fun and engaging activities. 

Organizing activities specifically focused on DEI can help an organization promote learning, listening, and other critical factors of DEI — all while engaging employees. That’s why we put together a list of virtual diversity and inclusion activities every organization can try out with little effort and resources. 

Do you want to learn more about fun team building activities that promote diversity and teambuilding? Book a demo with us today to explore our many options.

Let us dive in to how DEI impacts your team.

What Is DEI?

Before you start your virtual diversity and inclusion activities, you must understand the three layers of DEI:

• Diversity: A diverse workforce includes individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, and classes. But diversity is about more than ticking boxes during hiring — it requires frequent analysis of your team, company culture, and personal biases. For instance, a team with a disproportionately low number of women may want to consider why certain applicants aren’t applying to begin with. 
• Equity: An equitable workplace requires you and others on your team to respond to harassment, discrimination, and harmful stigmas. This includes challenging your personal biases and helping others recognize how they may unintentionally contribute to an inequitable company culture. As a result, you can make everyone on your team feel safe, comfortable, and part of the team. 
• Inclusion: Equal opportunity extends beyond the hiring process. Workplace inclusion lets everyone participate proportionately in conversations, decisions, brainstorming, and other activities. This increases the information and ideas available to your team. 

A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is crucial for team building and keeping each person involved and engaged. Everyone should have equal access to resources, knowledge, and opportunities within your organization — regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other factors or backgrounds. 

DEI Team Building Activities You Should Try

One of the best ways to put DEI lessons into practice is to organize activities that promote diversity and inclusion in your workforce. Such activities will boost team building and keep your team engaged and working in unison, whether from home or in the office.

Here are the top DEI team building activities you can try out: 

Never Have I Ever

“Never Have I Ever” and “Ten Fingers” are easy virtual diversity and inclusion icebreakers that get everyone sharing and listening to each other. That said, this game can go many different ways depending on who you play it with. So, be aware of your team and encourage everyone to stay professional.

Though you can change the rules however you like, “Never Have I Ever” typically begins with all participants holding ten fingers up. The first person starts the game by sharing something they have never done, from filing a report late to climbing a mountain. Everyone who has done that activity must put down a finger. Participants continue to share their empty achievements in a circle until someone has all their fingers down.

This game is guaranteed to start at least a few conversations later, which can be a great opportunity for using inclusive language. Plus, your team will inevitably learn more about themselves and likely gain respect for each other’s individuality. 

Multicultural Movie Night

Among the diversity and inclusion event ideas you can easily do virtually or in person are movie nights. Even if you don’t pitch it as a DEI activity, recommending a diverse selection of movies can encourage your team to listen to other perspectives. Finding a movie no one has seen typically leads to a better-shared experience.

Many popular blockbusters, such as action movies and comedies, focus on specific demographics and groups. However, some of the most unique stories are by individuals from backgrounds, experiences, and cultures that don’t always get the spotlight.

Therefore, do some research when selecting options for your multicultural movie night. Search for international and independent films you haven’t seen yet, and check out the writers and directors on each project. Also, consider setting themes for different movie nights and asking teammates to recommend their movie selections. 

Parties for Each Diverse Holiday

Celebrating holidays and dedicated days, weeks, and months can help naturally promote DEI within your team. Many workplace activities are rooted only in specific cultures and traditions that may make some individuals feel excluded. Promoting diversity through holiday and monthly celebrations can help many people feel included and boost information sharing. For example, instead of only celebrating “Christmas” during the holidays, you can also mark Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Solstice festivals. 

While celebrating other holidays can encourage better diversity, you must be careful of cultural appropriation. The Office and other popular workplace satires often show attempted diversity events backfiring because their leaders perpetuated harmful stigmas. Do your research, be aware of the topics you speak on, and plan your holiday celebrations from a place of respect. 

Consider the following DEI dates and holidays:

• Black History Month
• Women’s History Month
• Jewish American Heritage Month
• Pride Month
• National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Ramadan
• Passover
• Diwali
• Cinco de Mayo
• Chinese New Year

Book Club

Whether you do weekly or monthly meetings, virtual and in-person book clubs encourage frequent, inclusive socialization. These meetings can easily implement DEI practices, including better listening skills and letting everyone speak. Plus, their consistent schedules can help you maintain participation.

Book clubs are especially beneficial for expanding perspectives. Stories and other art forms are naturally subjective, so readers will likely interpret different themes, motivations, and arcs. Encouraging team members to share and listen to their findings can help them appreciate the power of different perspectives.

Consider stories with DEI focuses or diverse authors when choosing books. This can help your team adjust to hearing other perspectives and learn important lessons from their narratives. However, ensure that your choices interest your book club members. 

Guest Speakers

Guest speakers, lecturers, and trainers may be invaluable to your DEI activities for the workplace. As discussed, listening to other’s perspectives is fundamental to DEI practices. And guests from outside your organization can provide new tips and strategies for the workplace. Additionally, simply having someone new to listen to may get your team more engaged.

Many professional guest speakers travel from company to company, exploring different job cultures, practices, and ethics. This gives many of them unmatched experiences, as they may share the strategies that have worked for other organizations or are directly relevant today. However, guest speakers can also include professionals from similar fields, local communities, or your network.

Virtual platforms such as Zoom and Discord make arranging guest speakers even easier. Now, you can work around the speaker’s schedule without requiring them to drive anywhere. This increases the number of guest speakers available for your virtual diversity and inclusion activities. 

Virtual Cultural Potluck 

A multicultural potluck is a diversity and inclusion event that encourages participants to bring dishes and items important to them and their culture. It’s a surefire way to start conversations and inspire people to recognize each other’s individuality.

Virtual potlucks are more challenging to organize as you can’t exactly share food with other online guests. However, there are still ways for remote and hybrid workplaces to participate in these DEI team building activities.

For instance, you can encourage your team to share recipes beforehand, ask people to describe their dishes, or arrange delivery. Alternatively, some virtual cultural potlucks ask participants to bring other important items, such as art and heirlooms.

Consider food allergies and other safety concerns when planning in-person diversity activities for teams. Whatever you put together, team members should have fun snacking on different foods, especially with lots of dishes on the table.

Virtual Mentorship Programs 

Mentorship programs partner up employees with one another to share information, processes, and other guidance. As the name implies, most of these feature a designated mentor or trainer while the other person shadows them. However, many mentorship programs pair equally skilled employees together so they can learn from each other and improve their collaboration.

This level of teamwork is especially critical for hybrid and remote workforces. Virtual mentorship activities can help employees develop meaningful relationships, putting a face and personality to the other names on their team. As a result, they may develop friendships, better understand each other’s perspectives, and feel a stronger connection with their jobs.

Consider getting employees used to mentorship programs by partnering them up during virtual diversity and inclusion games. Low-stakes games may make them feel more comfortable working together as there aren’t negative consequences if they make mistakes. 

Team Building Games

Though many activities have direct DEI focuses, you can make almost any game into a diversity and inclusion activity. Escape rooms, puzzles, trivia, and other games can get your team working together or, at the very least, listening to one another.

Try out the following virtual diversity and inclusion games:

Virtual Escape Room

Virtual escape rooms don’t physically lock you anywhere, but they can still be just as immersive — especially with the right team. Online and at-home escape room packages use a combination of clues, tasks, and tools to assemble their puzzles. Though most of the hints will be right in front of you, you may not find the answers or details you need until time runs out.

Teammates will often find different clues and come up with unique answers to questions. You’ll need your entire team’s input to get through most virtual escape rooms, making them perfect opportunities for team building.

Diversity Bingo

Diversity bingo is a fun game that asks participants to consider cultural differences they may not have noticed. Give everyone different bingo sheets with diversity and inclusion-related topics in each box. Consider also making a bingo sheet based on your coworker’s suggestions.

Participants should mark off squares for topics they have experienced, seen, or learned about. This can help start conversations and gauge the team’s cultural competence through positive learning. Sharing different backgrounds and perspectives will make an inclusive workforce stronger, more open-minded, and ready for the real world. 

Virtual Cultural Trivia Game

Digital platforms give you many ways to host virtual trivia games, whether you use it as a break between DEI discussions or set a dedicated trivia night. Implementing diverse trivia questions into your rotation can make your event more inclusive and educational. Plus, it lets participants show off their knowledge on different subjects.

Consider adding questions relating to different cultures around the world, such as national traditions, ethnic foods, and social change. Mixing these questions with entertainment-focused trivia, such as movies and sports, may get participants more engaged. Alternatively, you can provide extra points for cultural trivia questions. 

Why Are DEI Team Building Activities Important 

DEI team building activities and practices have helped organizations increase morale, profitability, productivity, and employee retention. This is because employees who feel heard and included are more likely to share their perspectives and engage in workplace activities. 

Beyond that, an inclusive atmosphere makes your organization a healthier space. Effective DEI has a direct impact on mental health, especially for employees who are more likely to face discrimination and exclusion. A safer space to work can help teams decrease turnover, boost engagement, and forge a stronger public brand. 

Inclusive team building activities can also be more effective in encouraging DEI than lectures and meetings. Each individual on your team has unique experiences, skills, and educational backgrounds, which means diversity, inclusion, and equity often look different for every person. Despite their best efforts, team leaders not impacted by certain social injustice issues may not recognize the entire situation or help address all related biases. 

Though diversity training is still essential, fun diversity team building activities put lessons into fun practice and can make participants feel more engaged. Social games such as “Never Have I Ever” let team members set aside their usual responsibilities and workplace pressures. As a result, they’re encouraged to listen to one another and recognize the strengths and ideas across their team. 

Virtual Diversity and Inclusion Games for Remote Teams 

In the years since 2020, many games and activities have become accessible remotely from various types of devices. So, you can get coworkers involved whether they’re on their cell phone, home computer, or travel laptop. Plus, apps including Zoom, Discord, and Twitch let you easily share your screen for online games and movie nights. 

Virtual teams may enjoy the following DEI team building activities:

• Team trivia
• Escape rooms
• Murder mystery parties
• Word puzzles
• Math and logic puzzles
• Virtual mazes
• Virtual bingo

Problem-solving puzzles, such as escape rooms, encourage teammates to work together on the same problems. They help participants recognize each other’s unique skills and thought processes while practicing various inclusion strategies. Plus, the escape room’s timer makes it a great opportunity to workshop your teamwork skills in real-time without the usual stakes of your job. 

Different escape room choices let you fine-tune diversity and inclusion activities for virtual teams’ interests. For instance, if your team enjoys fantasy and sci-fi shows, you can search for escape rooms with the same theme. Alternatively, if a few coworkers like true crime podcasts, you can pick murder mystery puzzles. 

Escapely offers the following online escape rooms:

• Escape the Desert Island
• Escape the Basement
• Escape the Ice Palace
• Destination Unknown
• Double, Double, Puzzle and Trouble
• Whodunnit: Can You Crack the Case?

Things To Keep in Mind

Diversity activities for virtual teams require extra attention to detail to guarantee you and attendees give your discussions the respect they deserve. Keep the following tips in mind for your diversity and inclusion activities while working from home. 

Choose the Right, Appropriate Activity

The diversity and inclusion games for virtual teams we shared above only scrape the surface of DEI team building activities. You can use countless games, hobbies, and lessons in your DEI events — some of the best ideas may even be unique to your team.

When choosing activities, consider what will engage your team and is the most appropriate to your objectives. Most DEI events should have specific focuses relating to your team’s needs or industry shifts. For instance, if your goal is to encourage more inclusive language, consider communication-focused games such as group puzzles and escape rooms.

Also, track and recognize when games and activities may not be appropriate. Your team should discuss ageism, racism, and other serious topics respectfully. Games may distract team members from your DEI objectives or cause them to minimize their seriousness. Furthermore, you must be careful not to negate your objectives by choosing an offensive activity.

DEI Activities Complement Initiative

The best DEI team building activities should bring out the best in every person, encouraging them to take initiative within the group. So, the activities you choose should complement your lessons and DEI objectives. 

For example, if your DEI objective is about education-based stigmas or recognizing the power of information-sharing, you may consider virtual trivia. A diverse assortment of trivia topics gives participants equal opportunities to show their knowledge in various subjects. As a result, you can easily break the ice, start conversations, and help your team develop mutual respect. 

Many virtual diversity and inclusion games are also a great way to identify and improve leadership skills. Challenges such as escape rooms and murder mystery parties may encourage some members to step up amid stressful social dynamics. 

Consider games and activities that promote the following soft skills:

• Interpersonal communication
• Active listening
• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Decision-making
• Adaptability
• Organization
• Time management

Enforce Inclusive Language

Inclusive language describes word choices that avoid invalidation, biases, or discriminatory implications. At a base level, you should not share ideas that are sexist, racist, prejudiced, insulting, ageist, or harmful in any other way. However, promoting inclusive language is not just about knowing what not to say — you must recognize the power of your words to maintain mutual respect. 

A common example of non-inclusive language is using “guys” and “dudes” to refer to groups. Though many women and non-binary individuals see “guys” as unisex, many interpret the word as inherently masculine. So, referring to your team as “guys” during virtual diversity and inclusion activities may make some participants feel excluded. Instead, you should encourage gender-neutral terms, such as “everyone,” “folks,” “y’all,” and “team.”

No one can implement inclusive language into their vernacular in a day. D&I activities for teams let you practice speaking respectfully and recognizing when someone’s words may be harmful. As a result, your team can grow together and keep each other accountable. 

Encourage Participation 

Activities such as escape rooms and book clubs shouldn’t be mandatory for your team, but you should encourage participation nonetheless. Virtual social settings let coworkers have fun and learn more about each other, including their skills, interests, and boundaries. Many activities push teams to listen to each other and solve group projects that require critical thinking.

Virtual activities are especially beneficial for hybrid and remote teams, as most coworkers’ only interactions may be in professional settings. Though studies show many employees are happier in remote positions, many also experience social isolation and miss work events. Online games and video chats can’t entirely replace water coolers and break rooms, but they can still add a unique social dynamic. 

Promoting your DEI team building activities as non-mandatory, fun events may encourage more people to get involved. You may not attract everyone the first time around, but those who participate will most likely be eager to get involved.

Virtual Diversity Icebreakers

Social icebreakers give people easy ways to cut the tension and start conversations. These activities can take endless forms, from situational jokes to group games. Their goal is to make people feel more comfortable talking together while practicing inclusive language and best practices. 

Even if icebreakers aren’t the main focus of your diversity and inclusion event, they may still be important to know. For example, if you are in an escape room with new teammates, having a few icebreakers in the back of your head can help you get to know everyone else. As a result, you’ll be able to communicate better when solving the puzzle. 

Try out the following virtual diversity icebreakers for your team:

• Share your name and a fun fact: Though it may seem overplayed, this activity is a perfect icebreaker for strangers. Participants introduce their names and something interesting about themselves. Many teams set “no work-related facts” to keep conversations positive and separate from other responsibilities. 
• Play “Two Truths and a Lie:” Similar to the previous icebreaker, this game asks participants to share three facts about themselves — one of which is untrue. Everyone else takes turns guessing the lie. This game is especially fun with already-acquainted teams, letting them learn more about each other. 
• Ask About People’s Interests: Instead of designated activities, asking people about their hobbies, interests, and workspaces can help break the ice. Avoid discussing anything sensitive during DEI events, such as bringing up someone’s background if they haven’t brought it up first. Music, pets, food, weather, and books are all great opening topics. 

Plan Your Next Diversity and Inclusion Activity

Depending on your DEI objectives, you can use almost any activity to practice inclusive language, mutual respect, and other initiatives. Though virtual diversity and inclusion activities have several restrictions, they also have a few advantages — such as being able to attend an escape room without driving anywhere. 

Escapely offers inclusive team building activities and experiences you can easily implement into your next DEI event. These fun games may attract more participants, encourage critical thinking, and provide a memorable experience for your team. Plus, with lots of puzzle choices, the fun doesn’t have to stop after you escape the first room. 

From escape rooms to virtual games, virtual diversity icebreakers will get your team engaged and working together. Book a demo of Escapely’s team building activities to learn more. 

 

 

 

Escape rooms have rapidly become a global sensation in the world of entertainment. You can never miss escape-the-room games in amusement parks and other activity areas in various cities.

Offering a blend of a compelling escape room storyline, challenging puzzles, intricate paths, and popular culture references, escape room enthusiasts always look forward to a unique and thrilling experience when playing, whether in-person or through virtual reality.

These fully immersive games challenge players to unlock their way out of a locked room by solving a series of riddles, hints, and clues. If you’ve ever wondered, “what are escape rooms all about,” they provide a mix of teamwork, problem-solving, and an adrenaline-pumping adventure.

The essence of escape rooms lies in their diverse and captivating scenarios, carefully designed by the room escape artist. These range from international spy missions to haunted houses and ancient tombs. Many escape room stories are inspired by famous legends, crime mysteries, and even horror themes.

As we unravel the fascinating history of escape rooms, questions like “are escape rooms fun?” and “When was the first escape room made?” emerge. With their engaging and immersive nature, it’s no surprise that they continue to attract players worldwide.

Journey with us as we learn fun facts about escape rooms and reveal their fascinating evolution—from their humble beginnings to becoming a phenomenon that has reshaped how we engage with games.

If you are interested in their history, you may even book a demo with us to try our virtual escape rooms, perfect for groups of all sizes anywhere!

Read on to learn how and when the escape room industry started and explore this modern cultural marvel that gamers and puzzle enthusiasts love.

How Did Escape Rooms Start?

The inception of escape rooms can be traced back to first-person escape video game experiences. Planet Mephius is among the popular ones that acted as its virtual prototype, foreshadowing the immersive form of gaming that features intricate puzzles.

Following this, John Wilson programmed “Behind Closed Doors,” featuring gameplay where the player is trapped in a room. This concept skyrocketed in popularity in 2004 thanks to growing internet access with Toshimitsu Takagi’s “Crimson Room,” one of the first escape games that captivated online players.

Eventually, the in-person real life escape room concept materialized in Kyoto, Japan, with the first modern room by SCRAP (a.k.a. Real Escape Game) in July 2007. Initially a setup for 5-6 players, it offered a live-action version of video game challenges.

SCRAP’s concept quickly evolved into the expansive Real Escape Game events, accommodating thousands of escape room enthusiasts. In 2012, SCRAP opened in San Francisco, becoming the first company in the Americas to call itself an “escape room.”

This innovative model catalyzed the global proliferation of escape rooms, which are now a mainstay in over 60 countries. They have redefined what is the escape room experience, making it not just a game but a worldwide phenomenon. But are escape rooms still popular? Absolutely! Their demand continues to grow as new themes and experiences are introduced.

Eventually, companies have expanded their reach, taking this unique form of leisure to greater heights in the entertainment industry, branching out in major cities across the globe, making the escape room genre even more exciting and engaging.

FUN FACT: Puzzle Break is among the games that initiated the first wave of expansion in the U.S. This opened a year after SCRAP opened its doors in San Francisco. With its unique escape room background, it played a significant role in bringing this phenomenon to the mainstream.

What are the Inspirations for Escape Rooms?

The inspirations for escape rooms are varied, drawing from a rich tapestry of interactive and immersive experiences. These influences have shaped the escape room business, infusing it with creativity and diversity. Here are some key inspirations:

• Live Action Role Playing (LARPing): LARPing brings the fantasy of role-playing games into the real world, blending storytelling with physical challenges. Players embody characters from fictional storylines, historical settings, or sci-fi adventures. This has significantly influenced the development of escape rooms, particularly in terms of narrative and interactive elements.
• Online “Point and Click” Escape Games: The digital world, especially online “Point and Click” games, has been a significant source of inspiration. Here, players would click on objects to interact and solve puzzles. This has directly influenced physical escape rooms’ puzzle design and problem-solving features.
• Traditional Scavenger Hunts and Interactive Theatres: The concept of scavenger or treasure hunt games has been integral to the evolution of escape room games. Here, players find items or discover hidden clues to solve the mystery to escape a single room. Similarly, interactive theater, which involves audience participation in the unfolding narrative, has also inspired its immersive and participatory nature.

These inspirations have contributed to the unique and engaging nature of real-life escape games, blending narrative, problem-solving, and interactive play elements. 

Live Action Role Playing (LARPing)

Escape room businesses owe a significant part of their immersive and interactive design to live-action role-playing (LARPing). 

In LARPing, players physically embody characters from games, fantasy settings, or historical events, engaging in a storyline in real-time with real-world settings. 

This form of role-playing goes beyond traditional gaming by allowing players to experience the narrative physically and emotionally, aspects that have been seamlessly integrated into the escape room experience. 

The influence of LARPing is evident in how escape rooms encourage participants to take on roles within a story, solving puzzles and interacting with their environment in a way that is both engaging and true to the character they portray.

Examples of these escape-the-room games are True Dungeon, Alice in Wonderland, and the Harry Potter Series, which often feature mazes inspired by the Hampton Court Maze.

FUN FACT: Mazes as garden puzzles became popular in the 16th century, particularly during the time of European Aristocrats. But not many people know that ancient times also featured mazes for trapping evil spirits, the Labyrinth pattern being the most notable. 

Online “Point and Click” Escape Games

Online “Point and Click” escape video games have played a pivotal role in shaping the modern concept of escape rooms, including the development of what is now known as a virtual escape room. 

These games, accessible from the comfort of one’s home, involve players navigating their own adventure through virtual rooms by pointing and clicking on objects and elements within the game. 

This format requires players to solve puzzles, uncover hidden items, and find clues, all through a digital interface. 

The intuitive nature of point-and-click gameplay makes it an ideal platform for puzzle-solving and adventure — elements central to the physical escape room experience. 

This digital realm has not only inspired the design and structure of many physical escape rooms but has also led to the creation of virtual escape rooms, where players can enjoy the thrill of escape games remotely.

MOTAS and Crimson Room are only some of the point-and-click escape-the-room games that have enticed many players to explore these video games for over a decade. 

Traditional Scavenger Hunts and Interactive Theatres

The evolution of escape room companies has been significantly influenced by traditional elements found in scavenger or treasure hunts and the dynamic world of interactive theaters. 

These classic forms of entertainment have seamlessly blended into the fabric of what makes escape rooms so engaging:

• Scavenger Hunts: The essence of scavenger or treasure hunts, where participants follow clues and solve riddles to find items or locations, is deeply embedded in escape rooms. This format of discovery and problem-solving is central to the appeal of escape rooms, providing a real-world parallel to the escape room solutions that players seek.
• Interactive Theaters: Interactive theaters, such as haunted houses or murder mystery dinner shows, have also contributed significantly to the escape room concept. These experiences, where guests become part of the story, interacting with actors and the environment, have influenced escape rooms’ immersive and participatory nature. This theatrical aspect encourages players to engage more deeply with the narrative and setting of an escape room, enhancing the overall experience.

Both these inspirations have helped shape escape rooms into the multifaceted and engaging experiences they are today, combining the thrill of discovery with the excitement of live, interactive storytelling.

Escape Rooms in Modern Culture

Escape rooms have undeniably become integral to modern culture, offering a unique blend of thought-provoking and immersive fun that appeals to a WIDE RANGE of audiences. 

Whether it is a family outing, a night out with friends, a team-building exercise with workmates, or a memorable experience for couples, escape rooms provide an engaging and interactive way to connect and create unforgettable experiences.

Here is how escape game events evolved to cater to a variety of individuals in today’s hobby space:

• The rise of virtual escape room ideas has further expanded the accessibility and variety of these experiences, allowing people to enjoy escape rooms anywhere. Online escape rooms became a trend because they allowed players to enjoy features of escape game events through online mediums.
• For younger audiences, virtual escape rooms for kids offer a safe and exciting platform to develop problem-solving skills and have fun in a digitally interactive environment.
• Social gatherings, too, have found a new dimension with virtual escape rooms with friends. In these rooms, groups can collaborate and challenge themselves regardless of physical distance. It is a good activity for team building. 
• Couples seeking a unique date experience are turning to virtual escape rooms for couples, which offer a fun and collaborative way to bond.

The growing popularity of escape rooms has even given rise to escape room conferences, where fans and industry enthusiasts gather to share experiences, discuss new trends, and celebrate the community’s creativity and innovation. 

These conferences not only underline the cultural significance of escape rooms but also highlight their evolving nature in entertainment.

Key Takeaways on the History of Escape Rooms

As we reflect on the historical journey of escape game events from their inception in Kyoto, Japan, to their global popularity, these immersive games have clearly transcended cultural and geographical boundaries to earn their spot in entertainment.

Their evolution from physical rooms inspired by video games and live-action role-playing to augmented reality experiences highlights escape rooms’ adaptability and enduring appeal to people of all ages.

Escape-the-room games offer a UNIQUE BLEND of storytelling, puzzle-solving, and teamwork, making them perfect for various occasions, from casual get-togethers to corporate team-building exercises. 

Their ability to adapt to the digital era through virtual escape game rooms ensures that anyone can enjoy the thrill of escape games regardless of location.

If you want to experience the innovative blend of fun and challenge that escape game rooms provide, Escapely’s online escape rooms offer an accessible and engaging option. 

Whether for team-building or simply as a fun activity with friends, family, or partners, Escapely provides an immersive experience that taps into what makes an escape room so captivating.

Book your next unforgettable adventure and embark on a journey that promises an opportunity to connect, collaborate, and challenge yourself and your friends in exciting ways!