10 Hybrid game ideas for your team-building event

Since 2020, companies have increasingly requested remote events. However, we still want a bit of human presence. Perhaps we can’t have everyone in the same place. But at least we can gather people from each office (especially when they’re located in different countries). That’s what a hybrid event is about.

Ah, and it’s also well-suited for cold seasons, when outdoor games are less requested.

There’s good news, though: You can create hybrid team-building games. Here are 12 ideas that fit any event:

1. Video-conferencing team building

Now there are excellent tools to manage video conferences. It started with Zoom, but then Google Meet and Microsoft Teams stepped up. I have a personal preference for Meet, but it’s up to your client company.

Using the breakout rooms, you can easily divide into teams. Some teams can be physically together; others can consist of some member playing from their own office.

From there, any indoor game fits with this setup.

I have detailed 11 idea of games using Zoom right here.

2. Story-based game

Players love a team-building game when they can immerse themselves in a whole story. Find a story-based game that you can easily tell through the camera and through the different devices. You could imagine a story where the players are surviving on a stranded island, or solving a murder.

The next part is a good example of a story to tell: Virtual escape rooms.

3. Virtual escape game

Tell your players that they’re locked somewhere: A manor? A boat? A forest? They have to escape. That’s a thrilling story that will keep your players entertained.

If you don’t have any ideas on how to build your own story or your own escape game, you can pick one from our games: The Dark Manor escape.

4. Make it outdoor!

A hybrid team-building game doesn’t necessarily need to be behind a screen, in a meeting room, or in your home office. You can also offer an outdoor experience based on the walking distance. Let your players move a given distance, and reward them based on this value.

With Loquiz, you can use the odometer feature to generate game rules that will affect the player experience.

5. Use a presenter with a TV-Show background

What’s the best way to make a thrilling remote experience? As the team-building host, make yourself a TV Show-like setup! Be the presenter in front of a green screen and a presenter view. Comment in real time on the results from your players!

If you don’t have a game on your own, you can try the Trivia Grid. It offers the presenter screen, and players can use their device to hit the buzzer. It’s very fun; you should try it out!

6. Letter Storm

If you lack team-building hybrid games, you can try this one, the Letter Storm! This game uses a presenter screen as described previously.

By team, observe the letters on the screen. They’re mixed, but letters with the same color mean one word. Each team needs to find as many words as possible.

Using the AI, you can easily choose any words from any theme in just a few seconds.

7. Hybrid QR hunt

Some client companies appreciate a QR hunt. What if you offer this in such a hybrid setup? Let each office print a certain number of QR codes (it costs nothing to do this). Find a way to balance the difficulty between each location. Then give the green light for the players to scan these QR codes!

If you do not have a QR hunt ready, then you can use this game template from Loquiz.

8. A Object Scavenger Hunt

In the “Scavenger Hunt: Trick the AI“, players will have to “find” items. Well, they can’t find items because they have to draw them. Then the artificial intelligence will recognize them. If this item is well recognized by the artificial eye, then the team earns points! I recommend playing this game in a hybrid setup where each team is located in the same room, with one device per team.

9. Number Chain

Get all the players into teams. Each team can be in a physical room and/or a breakout room. Each team has to succeed a series of numbers. But some wolves are hidden among the sheep: Some of the players secretly have to deter others’ progress.

This game is engaging for the players, and you can teach the value of trust. You can already try it out here.

10. Team Blocks

Do you know that famous block game where you have to pile up as many as possible? The more lines you create, the more points you earn. Yes, you know the name of this game.

What if you played it by teams? Each team member has a limited amount of command, so they have to communicate and synchronize. It’s even more thrilling when you play it; I can tell you.

You can try it out here.

The state of hybrid games nowadays

The hybrid team building started with the pandemic. But this event is starting to become a past memory. And yet it changed the whole team-building scene: We’re more at ease with remote setups when it comes to work or team events.

For that reason, the hybrid games will never die. Although people are no longer under lockdown, companies still enjoy them. I personally you recommend having some game offer in your catalogue that are compatible with hybrid setup, just like the games in my list.

If you have any questions, or if you need help in preparing a hybrid game event, feel free to contact me! I’m always happy to help team-building providers.